LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



IDYLS OF ISRAEL 



AND 



OTHER POEMS. 



D. J. DONAHOE. 



0^ 3H888 '))> 

'"'^SHinGTO^' 



NEW YORK : 

JOHN B. ALDEN, PUBLISHER. 



f4$* 



Copyright, 1888, 

BY 

D. J. DON A HOE. 



*Y 



- 



ARGYLE PRESS, 

Printing and Bookbinding, 

R ST..N. Y. 



J 



DEDICATION. 

TO P. V. BURNETT, M. D. 

"With trembling heart I launch my little skiff 
Upon the billows of a dangerous sea, 
Freighted for distant ports with messages 
Of faith and hope and love. I fondly search 
The heavens for favoring airs to waft her on 
To sheltering havens, where the surge and 

rock, 
Being overpast, shall threaten her no more. 

O winds, that o'er the glowing ocean go, 
Carelessly sporting with the sounding waves, 
Fill these white sails and bear the little boat 
Lightly above the dangers of the deep. 
O restless ocean, on thy swelling tide 
Take the weak vessel, and in peace and joy 
Let her glide onward o'er thy passionate way; 
For she, perchance, some store cf good may 
bear. 

And thou, O Friend ! whose favoring voice I 

claim, 
Thy kindly gaze shall follow her away 
O'er the w ; de water on her voyage bold; 
For I have faith, whate'er her fate may be, 
Thy dearest prayers shall tend her evermore. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Dedication 5 

Idyls of Israel 7 

I. The Angel's Message 9 

II. The Babe at Hebron 28 

in. The Babe at Bethlehem 46 

iy. The Baptist 64 

v. The Christ 80 

vi. The Passing of the Baptist 98 

vii. The Transfiguration 116 

viii. The Resurrection 133 

Saved 155 

Born 158 

O, Arawane! 160 

Down along the Stream 162 

Time soars on Tireless Pinions 164 

Out of the Darkness 166 

Two Valleys 169 

In God we Trust 173 

Wilt Thou not answer? 176 

To the Bobolink 179 

The Vision., 183 

To the Wood-Thrush 188 

Courage 191 

Summer Rain ... 195 

The Spirit of the Child 198 

C5) 



vi. Contents. 

To the Robin 200 

Lord, lead us on! 203 

The New Year.. 205 

Gethsemane 209 

May Song , 211 

To a Thrush 212 

The Weeping-Willow Tree 215 

When the Sun goes down 217 

Sleep, Baby, Sleep 219 

Ambrose, the Hermit M 222 



IDYLS OF ISRAEL. 



IDYLS OF ISRAEL. 



I. 

THE ANGEL'S MESSAGE. 

'Twas in that season when the silver 

dew- 
Sparkles at morning on the budding 

flowers, 
And all the fields, rejoicing in the 

sun, 
Put on sweet-scented garments, and 

the trees 
Ring merrily to the music of the 

birds, 
That Mary at her cottage -window 

stood 



10 The Angel's Message. 

Musingly gazing o'er the broad fair 

vale, 

Where flocks were feeding. Here a 
shepherd boy 

Lay piping in the shade where the 
cool stream 

Flowed at his feet; a group of chil- 
dren there 

"With laughing voices, light as any 
lark's, 

Went gathering flowers; and over- 
head the sky, 

Cloudless and deep and dark in its 
clear blue, 

Was filled with balm and breezy hap- 
piness. 

Fair was the maiden; for her years 
had reached 



The Angel's Message. 11 

The time when girlhood blooms to 

womanhood. 
The loosened locks in golden clusters 

fell, 
Half-hiding from the eje her swan- 

like throat ; 
On either cheek a damask rose-hue 

slept, 
Sweet as when moistened by the dews 

of morn ; 
And round her eyes a holy mildness 

hung, 
"Where shone the beauty of heaven's 

stainless blue. 

Divine serenity upon her face 
Rested, while o'er the lilied fields her 
gaze 



12 The Angel's Message. 

Went forth, with wordless musings 
lighted tip. 

Her heart was fluttering with a name- 
less joy, 

A sacred happiness, whereof the cause 

She knew not, for the feeling had its 
birth 

Unconscious in her soul. She gloried 
not, 

As maidens glory, that her heart had 
been 

Plighted to Joseph, of the royal house 

Of David; for indeed she rather 
grieved 

To think upon the change from child- 
hood's ways. 

But now o'erpowered with joy, her 
voice went out 

In unpremeditated song to Heaven :— - 



The AngeVs Message, 13 

"How beautiful, Father, are the 
things 

Thy hand has shaped ! How fall of 
light and love ! 

Now comes the sweet Spring clothed 
in robes of green, 

Bearing the scented blossoms in her 
arms, 

Glad with the song of bird and mur- 
muring 

Of crystal rill that laughs ad own the 
vale 

Where happy shepherd tends his feed- 
ing flocks ; 

And soon the harvest hurries with 
rich hand, 

With vineyards bending 'neath the 
clustering grape, 



14 The Angel's Message. 

With orchards laden with the mellow 
fruit, 

And all the garners, filled with golden 
grain, 

Blessing the labors of the husband- 
man. 

How beautiful, O Father, are the 
things 

Thy hand has finished, and how full 
of love I " 

And now she turned and to her cham- 
ber went 

Through which a window opened to 
the west, 

And the rich radiance of the setting 
sun 

Came flooding in upon the shining 
floor. 



The Angel's Message. 15 

And Mary bowed her head in humble 
prayer, — 

For 'twas the hour of evening sacri- 
fice; 

And while she prayed a glory round 
her fell 

Brighter than were the rich rays of 
the sun, 

Yet soft and mellow as the moon of 
summer ; 

And all the room with heavenly odors 
sweet 

Was filled, as perfumed by a thousand 
censers ; 

And lifting up her eyes, behold, a man 

Clothed all in golden garments beau- 
tiful 

Stood in the chamber. 



16 Tlie Angel' s Message. 

" Hail, O, full of grace ! 
The Lord is with thee." Pleasanter 

that voice 
Than the deep breathing of a flute at 

eve; 
For 'twas the voice of Gabriel, whom 

God 
Charged with the sacred message to 

the maid, 
That she was chosen the Yirgin of 

the Lord 
To bring the Son Emanuel to the 

world. 

A feeling more of wonder than of 

fear 
Possessed her soul; and much she 

marveled what 



The Angef s Message. 17 

The salutation and fair presence 

meant ; 
When thus the Angel; "Fear not, 

holy maid, 
For thou hast favor found with God ; 

and lo ! 
Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son, 

whose name 
Shall be called Jesus, Son of the Most 

High. 
His father David's throne he shall 

possess ; 
Over the land of Jacob he shall reign; 
And of his kingdom there shall be no 

end." 

Then meekly answered Mary, while a 
doubt 



18 The Angel's Message. 

She scarce could quell upsprang with- 
in her heart, 

11 Nay, how can this thing be ? I know 
not man." 

But mild the Angel answering said -to 
her, — 

"To thee the Holy Spirit shall de- 
scend, 

And in the Father's power o'ersh ado w 
thee, 

And holy is the fruit fore verm ore. 

And lo ! thy kinswoman Elizabeth, 

"Who was called barren, blesseth now 
the Lord 

For that a great soul liveth in her 
bosom." 

Then Mary humbly bowing down her 
face 



The AngeVs Message. 19 

Felt her soul kindled, and she answer- 
ing said, 
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; 

to me 
Let it be done according to the word." 
And lifting up her eyes, she was alone, 
And the pale moon was hanging in the 
sky. 

And long she stood in wonder, gazing 
out 

Into the West where hung that cres- 
cent moon 

And one bright star below it.. Scarce 
her soul 

Could grasp the grandeur of the sacred 
truth 

The glorious Angel uttered. But 
through all 



20 The AngeVs Message. 

A ray of heavenly hope illumed her 

mind, 
And burned into her heart with fer- 
vent love, 
Which shone again reflective from 

her eyes. 
"The Angel of Elizabeth spake," she 

said, 
"Saying a son shall unto her be born. 
Therefore to Hebron I, at morn's first 

hour, 
And with the joy of her that barren 

was, 
Unite my happier voice in praise to 

God. 
For though from Heaven with more 

than manna fed, 
Yet nry soul hungers, and would fain 

be filled." 



Hie Anger s Message. 21 

So in the morning while the stars 

were still 
Bright in the sky, and all the lawns 

and glades 
Were damp with the cold dew, the 

Virgin rose, 
And with light footstep from her 

chamber hieing, 
Journeyed into the South from Naza- 
reth. 
Tireless and fearless o'er the rugged 

way, 
O'er hill and valley went she forth 

alone ; 
And on the Sabbath at Jerusalem-, 
Within the Temple walls, she stayed 

to pray; 
And on the tenth day, when the sun 

was hi eh, 



22 The AngePs Message 

She came unto the house of Eliza- 
beth, 
And saying, "Peace be with you," 

entered in. 
Elizabeth no sooner heard the voice 
Than leaped the unborn babe; and 

rising up, 
Enkindled with the spirit of prophesy, 
She spake to Mary : — 

" Blest 'mong women thou, 
And blest the fruit that cometh from 

thy womb ! 
And whence is so great favor to me 

shown 
That my Lord's mother should come 

unto me? 
For lo! the babe within me hailed thy 

voice 



The AngeVs Message. 28 

In jo j, for that he knew his Lord 

was come. 
And blest is she who hath believed 

the word ; 
For what the Lord hath spoken shall 

be done." 

Then Mary's countenance was lifted 

up, 
And shone with a soft radiance out 

of Heaven; 
Such light as falls upon a summer 

eve 
From the moon soaring through a 

cloudless sky, 
And with her hands upon her bosom 

folded, 
She sang : — 



24 The Angel's Message. 

" My soul doth magaif y the 

Lord; 
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my 

Saviour ; 
For. He. upon his handmaid's low es- 
tate 
Hath kindly looked; and down the 

steep of time 
All men shall call me blest ; for God 

hath done 
Great deeds to me, and holy is His 

name. 
His mercy upon them that fear him 

falls 
From generation unto generation. 
His arm is strong ; He scattereth the 

proud ; 
The princes from their thrones He 

hath put down $ 



TTie Angel's Message. 25 

And them of low degree hath lifted 

up. 
He hath the hungry filled ; and sent 

the rich 
Empty away; His servant Israel 
He hath accepted, as to Abraham 
He promised, and unto his seed for- 



The soft, clear tones still lingered in 

the ear, 
Sweetening the silence, as through 

rocky glen, 
At dewy eve, the echoing music flows 
From shepherd's reed when all the 

air is calm. 
And long the Yirgin with up-raised 

eyes, 



26 The Angel* s Message. 

And bands upon her bosom folded 
stood, 

Until she seemed the blossomed hope 
to see 

Expanded to the fulness of the har- 
vest. 

And Mary dwelt at Hebron till the 

moon 
Had three times formed a crescent in 

the west; 
Till all the flowers were gone and all 

the fields 
Lay brown and parched beneath the 

fervid sun ; 
And till the babe, by Angel heralded, 
Eejoiced the home of glad Elizabeth. 
Then back she hied alone to Galilee, 



The Angefs Message. 27 

And as she went her heart outspake 
in prayer, 

And oft in lonely places rose her 
voice, 

Sweet as the linnet's and as innocent. 

In hymns of unpremeditated praise. 

And on the Sabbath at Jerusalem 

She tarried in the Temple there to 
pray. 

And on the tenth day from her jour- 
ney forth 

She came unto her home at Nazareth, 



IT. 
THE BABE AT HEBRON. 

When men were in the vineyards la- 
boring 

Where scented grapes were purple, and 
the fields 

Smiled in the fulness of the ripening 
year, 

The aged Zachary, whose whitened 
beard 

And bended head bespoke the lowli- 
ness 

Of wisdom, and the knowledge of the 
Law, 

Strode from his pleasant home among 
the hills 
28 



The Babe at Hebron. 29 

Of Hebron, in the morning's earliest 

beams, 
Upon bis journey to the Holy City. 

'Twas twice a score of years si ace in 

the Temple 
He stood before the Council, and was 

first 
Clothed in the priestly garb. Upon 

his cheek 
The down was darkening to the man- 
lier beard, 
And his heart beat with, all the jovs 

of youth. 
And long before the sprinkled silver 

shone 
A warning on his brow of time's swift 

wings, 



SO Tlte Bale at Hebron. 

lie took unto his home Elizabeth, 
Mild as the eve and as the wild-rose 

sweet. 
Her father came of him who was the 

first 
To wear the mitre of the golden 

crown — 
He that on Ilor sleeps where his two- 
fold top 
Looks highest o'er the hated Edomite. 
Years since had passed, and still each 

fleeting j r ear 
Left their sad bosoms childless. 

Many an hour 
In tearful prayer the woman bowed 

and cried : — 

" Turn not from me, Holy One, who 
givest 



The Babe at Hebron, 31 

Wings to the seed to spread the har- 
vest wide. 

Thy mercy oft hath made the barren 
woman 

A joyful mother. Grant it thus to me 

And bless my womb with issue, or I 
die," 

Thus did she- pray, and with her hus- 
band joined 

In prayer day after day for many a 
weary year. 

And filled with musings of his child- 
less house 

The old man journeyed on through 
pleasant fields, 

And heard the merry songs of youths 
and maids [glebe, 

Among the clustering vines, or on the 



32 The Babe at Hebron. 

Or in the flower y pastures, where the 
sheep 

Nibbled demurely while the young 
lambs played. 

And ere the sun of noon began to pour 

His warmer rays, he reached Jerusa- 
lem, 

And reverently sought the Holy 
Place. 

And lots were cast, and it was his to 

burn 
The incense at the altar ; and while 

rose 
The incense, 'mid his prayers, the 

memory came 
Of his lone house and childless age ; 

and forth 
In supplication deep his spirit broke : — ■ 



The Babe at Hebron. 83 

"Out of the volume of Thy memory, 

Lord, 
Blot the transgressions of Thy chosen 

ones ; 
And from our hands accept the lamb 

that we 
Here in atonement on Thy altar burn ; 
And Israel's consolation and his hope 
Delay no longer, for onr need is great. 
Nor look, Lord, on Thy servant's 

worthlessness ; 
But hear the wish that speaketh in 

the lie art ; 
Long have I waited, and Elizabeth, 
Now silver grown in years, has waited 

long. 
Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst. Thy 

quickening hand 



34 The Babe at Hebron. 

Can change our sorrow to exulting 

joy." 

Now near the altar burst a living 

light 
And stood an Angel of the Lord, who 

spake : — 
"Fear not, O Zachary; thy prayer is 

heard. 
Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear a son 
And thou shalt call him John. His 

birth shall bring 
Gladness to many; for he shall be 

great 
In the Lord's sight; and he shall go 

before 
The Anointed, ministering in the 

power 



The Babe at Hebron. 35 

And spirit of Elias; and shall shine 
A lamp amid the darkness of the 

land." 
Then Zachary, "Whereby shall I 

know this ? 
For I'm an old man and my wife is 

old."— 
"Gabriel am I, that in God's presence 

stand ; 
And for that thou has not believed 

the word, 
Lo! thou art dumb till it shall be ful- 
filled." 
The Angel thus, and while the priest 

yet gazed 
The glorious presence melted from bis 

view. 



36 The Babe at Hebron. 

Long at the altar pondering he de- 
layed, 

And the throng waiting, marveled at 
his stay. 

And when he came from out the 
Sanctuary 

A soft light shone about his counte- 
nance, 

And they who saw him knew he had 
beholden 

A vision of the Lord. And rising up 

He beckoned to the wondering multi- 
tude, 

But could not speak the blessing, 
being dumb. 

Then homeward through the ripened 
fields he hied ; 



The Babe at Hebron, 37 

On every side the luscious grape gave 
out 

Its perfumes on the air ; and all the 
hills, 

Garden o'er garden rising to the tops, 

Smiled in the golden wealth of har- 
vest-time. 

The breeze from out the olives wooed 
his senses, 

And fanned his features with its pleas- 
ant wings ; 

And his heart leaped with gladness as 
he went 

Through hamlets on the hillsides, 
where the cots 

Eose flat-roofed, looking down upon 
the vales 

Each over other, all along the way. 



38 The Babe at Hebron. 

And thus, though dumb his tongue, 

his bounding soul 
In silence praising sang : — 

"Blest be Thy name 
Forevermore, O God of peace and 

love ! 
Who lookest on the latest with as 

sweet 
And tender mercies as upon the first. 
Praise God, ye men among the orchard 

boughs ; 
Praise Him, ye toilers on the vine- 
clad hills ; 
Praise Him, ye shepherds on the 

mountain sides, 
And you, ye dwellers in the city's 

walls. 
Praise God whose power is seen from 

pole to pole ; 



The Babe at Hebron. 39 

Seen in the golden fulness cf the har- 
vest, 

Seen in the living glory of the sun, 

And in the mellow beauty of the 
moon. 

Praise God, my soul ; a joyful witness 
thou 

Of his enduring and eternal love. 

Praise Him, whose wisdom, tender- 
ness, and might 

Eemain among His people evermore." 

And when the sunset burned along 

the sky 
He entered Hebron's hilly streets, and 

found 
His wife Elizabeth upon the way 
To meet him; for a whisper, as she 

prayed 



4:0 The Babe at Hebron. 

In pleading tones to Heaven, fell on 

her ear 
Saying, " Even as thou prayest it 

shall be." 
And so r as if her years were young 

again,. 
Joyful she met him saying, " It shall 

bel 
God r s love awakes to us, and it shall 

be."' 
And with his eyes and hands that old 

man dumb 
Answered in joy and said, "Yea, it 

shall be." 
And seeing his face soft clothed in 

light, she knew 
He saw the vision, and she sang in 

joy;— 



The Babe at Hebron. 41 

" No more shall men look cold upon 

me now 
And call me curst, for Thou, Lord, in 

Thy love 
Hast heard my cry and blessed my 

womb with life. 
Sing out, sun and moon ; sing out, 

ye stars, 
Sing out, O earth, and bless the Lord 

your God, 
For His right hand is full of might 

and love. 
Sing out to Him, my soul, in endless 

praise, 
For He hath looked upon thy wear- 
ing sorrow, 
And thrilled thy senses unto leaping 

joy." 



42 The Babe at Hebron. 

Now when the roses fainted in the 

sun, 
And flocks for shadow fled unto the 

copse, 
A dimpled babe with angel eyes was 

born 
To the glad mother, and his name 

was John. 
And the priest's tongue being loosed 

again, he spoke 
Aloud in praises and in prophesy : — 

" Blest be the Lord the God of Israel, 
Who for the Anointed hath this lamp 

prepared ! 
Thou, art a Prophet, Child of the 

Most High ; 
The Herald of the Christ. Thou 

shalt arise 



The Babe at Hebron. 43 

To give them light that in the dark- 
ness sit, 

And in Death's shadow; and our 
steps shalt guide 

Into the sweet and balmy ways of 
peace." 

His gaze was fixed upon the midmost 

heaven, 
"Where the bright sun looked down 

but blinded not 
That eye prophetic ; and his hands 

upon 
His heart were folded, whilst his long 

white beard, 
Parted upon the throat, waved in the 

breeze. 
Anon his eyes went o'er Judea's hills 



44 The Babe at Hebron. 

And rested oo the distant walls of 

Sion. 
Then in the spirit of the mellow time 
Whose lustrous wings of gold and 

emerald 
Shall shadow all the world in holy- 
light 
Mild darkened from the presence of 

the Lord, 
He cried with ecstacy : — 

" O happy world, 
When man in man the sacred sign 

shall see 
Which shows each soul to the Creator 

kin, 
And feel the influence drawing ever 

up 
And closer to the heart of the Most 

High! 



The Babe at Hebron. 45 

O happy earth ! the golden dawn is 

near 
When the chill night of sorrow shall 

be spent, 
And the great San of Love shall warm 

the world." 



III. 

THE BABE AT BETHLEHEM. 

The land, sore- thirsting from the har- 
vest heat, 
Was waked to gladness by the later 

showers, 
And all the hills of Galilee again 
Put on new robes of verdure, and the 

vales 
Were sweet with grasses and the 

breath of flowers. 
And when the clouds broke, scattering 

from the day, 
In pale confusion to the mountain 

tops, 
It seemed the Spring in tender care 

had come 
46 



Tfte Bale at Bethlehem. 47 

And thrown her mantle o'er the smil- 
ing scene. 

And out of Nazareth as the sun up- 
rose, 

Gilding the villages with level rays, 

The Yirgin, seated on a lowly beast, 

And gray-haired Joseph walking at 
her side, 

Down the hill-slope went forth, while 
yet the dew 

Twinkled with changing lustre on the 
green ; 

And from the orchard and the shadowy 
grove 

A thousand birds sent up their morn- 
ing-song. 

Alone they journeyed on ; for out of 
Eome 



48 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

Came the decree that all should be 
enrolled — 

Each in the city of his own house en- 
rolled ; 

And they of David's house to Bethle- 
hem 

Hastened obedient to the high decree. 

And down across the plain of Esdrae- 

lon, 
Through smiling fields and pleasant 

villages, 
And watery dells with herbs exhaling 

sweet. 
And olive-groves where the mild dove 

was heard, 
And many a warbler, flitting in the 

shade * 



The Babe at Bethlehem. 49 

Sang merrily out, all day their way 

they held, 
Till the red sunset faded from the 

West 
And one by one their moving guard 

the stars, 
Uhdimmed by any moon, set in the 

s ^y, 

Cold- sparkling in the silent walk of 
Night. 

The second day rose cloudless, and 
they went 

Along the land of the Samaritans 

Whose city thje proud Edomite, who 
sat 

Profane on David's throne, had late 
adorned 

With boundless riches and magnifi- 
cence, 



50 Tlte Babe at Bethlehem. 



And honored with the mighty Caesar's 

name. 
On the third day the scorpion-haunted 

hills 
Guarding Judea from the Assyrian 

crew 
That lorded o'er the land of Ephraim 
They passed ere yet $n hour of sun- 
light shone. 
And all day long through places sacred 

made 
By memories of eld they wended 

on — 
Through Shiloh, where the Ark of 

God remained 
Till Eli's faithless sons profaned the 

Law ; 
Along the tearful Baca's vale, now 

sweet 



. 



The Babe at Bethlehem. 51 

With verdure freshened by the show- 
ery skies ; 

Through Bethel's venerable walls, 
where erst 

Jacob in dreams beheld the vision 
fair 

Of angels and the glory of God ; and 
past 

Rama, high-seated, where the prophet 
saw 

Rachel in sorrow for her children 
weeping; 

Into the gates of fair Jerusalem, 

Where pausing on the way as even- 
ing fell, 

They sought the Temple, there to call 
on God. 

And when the stars shone brightest in 
the blue, 



52 Ttte Bale at Bethlehem. 

And Night with sable pall enwrapped 

the world, 
With weary steps up the steep hill 

they hied, 
And reached their journey's end at 

Bethlehem. 

Now, Sacred Spirit, fire my tongue to 
sing 

In seemly words the Saviour's humble 
birth ; 

How in the lowly cave at midnight 
hour, 

Of stainless Virgin born, to earth He 
came, 

None present but that guardian angel- 
taught, 

Worthy of David's house and heart ; 
and clad 



The Babe at Bethlehem, 53 

In swaddling clothes, was in rude 

manger cradled, 
An Infant God ! the Ruler of the 

Spheres ! 
Put on Humanity for love of Man I 

And Joseph seeing, bowed his face to 

earth 
In adoration of the Incarnate Word ; 
Whilst light mild-darkened from the 

throne of God 
Illumed the cave, and heavenly harp- 

ings sweet 
Tinkling resounded as the old man 

sang : — 

"Rejoice, Sion's daughter 1 Shout 
for joy, 



54 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

O daughter of Jerusalem ! Thy King 
Liveth, and the Anointed One of God 
Hath taken His abode in Israel. 
Kejoice, O Israel ! for the promises 
To Abraham and the fathers made of 

yore 
Our God hath kept, and in this Babe 

fulfilled. 
A light hath dawned upon the world 

whose rays 
Shall pierce the centre of remotest 

time, 
And ripen unto mellow fruit 'the hope 
In man's soul budding through the 

bounds of earth. 
And tremble, thou,0 ruthless Edomite, 
That in the Holy Place set'st impious 

foot! 



The Babe at Bethlehem. 55 

For the just vengeance of the living 

God, 
Who visiteth His own in gentle peace, 
Pursueth the wicked with a sword of 

fire." 

And round the Virgin's face hung 

wreathing rays, 
Soft as the moon's from dewy welkin 

falling, 
Her eyes fond lingering on the tender 

Babe; 
And bowing down, her heart went out 

to Him 
Who riding on the whirlwind melts 

in mercy ; 
And in low tones of ravishment she 

sang, 



56 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

As all unconscious that her words had 
shape ; — 

" Our Hope is come, and shall nob si- 
lence keep, 

As by the prophet king of Juda 
spake ; 

A fire shall burn before Him, and 
around 

About Him shall a mighty tempest 
be; 

Gather together, all ye saints, for lo! 

The heavens declare His justice; and 
our Judge 

Hath found His Israel worthy of His 
love." 

How the stars blazed at that calm 
midnight hour ! 



The Babe at Bethlehem. 57 

Seemed they to gaze upon the lowly 

cave, 
Where their dread ruler as a smiling 

babe, 
Type of his own eternal gentleness — 
O, wondrous thought! — lay cradled 

in a manger. 

And there were Shepherds near to 

Bethlehem, 
Tending their flocks upon the shadowy 

lawn, 
And keeping the slow watches of the 

night. 
And while their eyes explored the 

azure deeps, 
And marked the icy spheres seem 

starting forth - 



58 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

Out of the restless firmament, they 

spake 
Together, wondering at the unwonted 

sight. 
Seemed as the heavens, to solemn 

.grandeur moved, . . . 
Bowed listening down unto the silent 

earth, 
While brooded awful calm o'er all 

the world. 

Kow from the zenith rays of golden 

glory 
On every side in slanting streamers 

fell, 
And in rich radiance clothed, an 

Angel came 
Bearing a harp with olive-leaves 

adorned, 



The Babe at Bethlehem. 59 

And mighty fear the Shepherds' bo- 
soms shook. : 

But calm the Angel spake — "Be not 
afraid; 

I bring to you good tidings of great 

joy; 

For unto you is come this day a 

Saviour, 
The Christ, our Lord ! an infant 

lowly born, 
In swaddling clothes he lieth in a 

manger." 

Then suddenly a thousand mellow 

sounds 
Fell from the skies, and all the air 

rang out 
With heavenly harmony that thrilled 

the soul .4 



60 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

To piercing rapture sweet; and the 
high dome 

Was oped, and a celestial choir ap- 
peared 

All glory-robed, and lovelier than the 
morning, 

Harping on golden lyres, and sweetly 
singing, 

" Glory to God on high and peace to 
men." 

Soon all the radiance vanished and 
the night 

With silent darkness and the blazing 
stars 

Returned ; and sore amazed the Shep- 
herds stood 

Mute- gazing heavenward where the 
vision was, 



27te Babe at Bethlehem. 61 

The cadence echoing still along the 
sky, 

" Glory to God on high and peace to 
men." 

Then eager o'er the hill to Bethle- 
hem 

They hurried, burning to behold the 
Word; 

And on the slope that stoops towards 
Sion's walls 

They found the manger where the 
Sacred Babe 

In purest loveliness was slumbering. 

On either side the humble crib re- 
clined 

That spotless Virgin- Mother and her 
spouse, 



62 The Babe at Bethlehem. 

Silently pondering the deep mys- 
tery, 

And in the fulness of the Word re- 
joicing. 

And seeing, in one voice the Shep- 
herds sang, 

While from the east the purple morn- 
ing broke, 

And Night with all her shadows 
swept away ; 

Loud in one voice the simple Shep- 
herds sang : — 

" Praise God, my tongue, praise Him 

foreverrnore, 
For all the miseries of the world are 

o'er, 
And the Eedeemer liveth in the 

land. 



The Babe at Bethlehem. G3 

Praise God, my soul, for from thy 

bondage freed, 
The new-born Infant bringeth life 

indeed, 
And thy Redeemer liveth in the 

land. 
Praise God, ye Powers, for all your 

strife hath end ; 
Here is the rich man's hope, the poor 

man's friend, 
And your Redeemer liveth in the 

land. 
Praise God, O sun and moon ; praise 

Him ye skies ; 
For from His presence every shadow 

flies, 
And our Redeemer liveth in the 

land." 



IV. 
THE BAPTIST. 

In a gray hollow 'neath a beetling 

cliff 
Whose rugged form uprose amid the 

clouds, 
Naked of herbage, dazzling in the sun, 
And frowning o'er the barren hills 

and dells 
That slowly settled to the Dead Sea's 

edge, 
Sate, in sad musings rapt, that Naza- 

rite 
"Whose coming of the Angel was fore- 
told, 
The herald of the Anointed One of 

God, 
64 



The Baptist. Go 

To go before his face and all his ways 
Prepare. Silent he sate, and motionless, 
Leaning against the damp walls of the 

cave. 
The clustering hair o'er his broad 

shoulders hung ; 
His beard was parted at the throat, 

and fell 
Profuse on either side ; his bold, black 

eyes 
Were fixed upon the tumbling clouds 

that rolled 
Up from the sea with angry thunder 

laden ; 
And his strong features, touched with 

sorrow, like 
The tearful glory of the rainbow shone. 
Reflecting all the loveliness within. 
3 



66 Tke Baptist. 

The hungry vulture and the barking 

fox 
Unheeding and unheeded passed him 

by; 

The deadly viper glided at his feet 

Unnoticed; and amid the straggling 
brush 

The gold- winged songsters, with me- 
lodious note, 

From morn till evening sang. Dark- 
blue the sea, 

Unruffled by the curling of a wave, 

Lay in the distance ; and a wearying 
glare 

Oppressive dwelt upon the hills and 
dells. 

Adown the clefts the swollen moun- 
tain brooks, 



lite Baptist. 67 

Hoarsely resounding o'er their myriad 
falls, 

Bushed under cavernous hollows, and 
again 

Spread glittering in the sun, or strug- 
gled forth 

Through shrivelling verdure to the 
silent sea. 

The -joys of home and self-indulgent 

ease, 
And decent honor as a priest of Grod, 
He set behind him, and in solitude 
Communion night and day held with 

the Lord. 

Now rising from his rocky seat he 
drew 



68 The Baptist. 

His leathern girdle tighter, arid let fail 
In heavy folds his robe of camel's 

hair, 
And with his eyes still on the swell- 
ing clouds, 
He lifted rip his voice to God and sang 
In deep and mellow tones that floated 

far 
Aclown the sleepy hollows of the hills, 
In sorrow echoing from cliff to cliff, 
And rousing all the hundred eremites 
"Who dwelt amid the mountains. 

Thus he sang : — 
" O doomed land ! how has thy faith- 
ful city 
Become the throne of idols ! how thy 

gardens 
The nests of venomous vipers! Thy 
good grapes 



The Baptist. 69 

In watered vineyards fostered, render 

vines 
That only wild-grapes yield. Thy 

tender lambs 
That trustful in thy grassy pastures 

ran 
Are fallen to hungry wolves. And 

nought remains 
Of all thy glory and thy godliness. 
And all thy strength grown weak 

avails thee nought ; 
For where thy wisdom, hope, and 

beauty bloomed 
Are desolation, mockery, and despair. 

" But Thy throne is forever, God of 

Hosts. 
Thy glory still endureth. Tn Thy 
palm 



70 The Baptist. 

Thou hold'st the thunderbolt; and 

with Thy hand 
Guidest the stars along their circling 

way. 
Thou takest from the briny sea sweet 

rain 
To make the earth rejoice, and from 

the mould 
Send forth the living green. But 

Lord, Thy love 
Is boundless as Thy might, and Thou 

wilt show 
Mercy to him that humbly seeketh 

Thee. 
Therefore, O Israel, repent, repent ! 
Look on thy soul and dread the wrath 

to come I 
Do penance crying to thy God for 

'mercy, 



The Baptist. 71 

And seek His favor ere it be too 

late." 

He ceased, for sorrow weighed upon 

his heart. 
His strong lips quivered, and his head 

bowed low 
Upon his bosom ; for his soul beheld 
The sins of Sodom in the land of 

God. 

And they who dwelt among the 

gloomy caves 
In the deep wilderness, waked by the 

voice, 
Came forth and mutely gazed upon 

the man. 
Then girding up his loins he strode 

away 



72 The Baptist, 

Northward along the sea towards 

Jordan's wave; 
And they, God-fearing, followed after 

him 
Saying, "Behold the Prophet of the 

Lord." 

And now the sun was blotted from 
the sky 

And distant mntterings of thunder 
told 

The coming of the rain. The light- 
ning flash 

Glanced on the whitened rocks, and 
the great drops 

Pattered upon the thirsting earth. 
The sea 

Rolled up in leaden billows, and the 
shore 



The Baptist. 73 

Besounded to the dashing of the 
wave. 

And they who followed, hanging on 
the words 

The Baptist uttered as he hurried 
forth, 

Now unto sheltering caves in pallid 
fear 

Betook themselves. But he with 
steady step, 

Unmindful of the darting lightning- 
flash, 

Unmindful of the crashing thunder- 
clap, 

Or rushing rain that down the moun- 
tain sides 

Sent angry torrents, kept upon his 
way. 



74 The Baptist 

And when black night o'er-powered 
the trembling earth, 

And held the stars imprisoned, and 
the roar 

Of unseen cataracts in the mountains 
came 

Threatening the deafened ear, a friend- 
ly cave 

Afforded shelter till the morning 
time 

Sent him with safer foot upon his 
way. 

And whilst along the wilderness he 

went, 
Crying "Repent, and bring forth 

worthy fruit ; 
For lo! the day of God is near at 

hand!" 



The Baptist. 16 

His voice aroused the wondering mul- 
titudes ; 

And all Jerusalem came out to him, 

And all Judea, and the region round 

The Jordan; and they knew he came 
of God, 

And spake with tongue touched by 
the fire of truth. 

And many at Bethabara, coming 
down 

And entering the Jordan, were bap- 
tized, 

And grieving wept confessing all 
their sins. 

But 'mid the throngs upon the river's 

banks 
The Baptist saw the oily hypocrites 



76 The Baptist. 

And smiling scoffers of the word of 

God, 
And calling out to them, he cried 

aloud : — 

"Ye brood of vipers ! wherefore do 

ye flee 
From the impending wrath? Be 

penitent, 
And do the good that lieth in your 

power. 
And flatter not yourselves for that ye 

have 
Abraham for your father; for the 

Lord 
Can in his might of these vile pebbles 

m ate 
Children of Abraham. Turn while 

ye may, 



The Baptist. 77 

And seek in mercy Him that mercy 
gives." 

And many wondering said, "Lo, this 

must be 
The Christ that cometh to redeem the 

world." 
But answered John; "Nay, I indeed 

baptize 
"With water: but there cometh One 

whose shoes 
Not worthy I to carry. He with Fire 
And with the Spirit shall baptize. 

His fan 
Is in His hand to cleanse His thresh- 
ing-floor, 
And gather up the wheat into His 

garner." 



78 The Baptist. 

And Jesus came from Xazareth to 
John, 

To be baptized, and meek before hirn 
stood 

In Jordan's water. 

But the Prophet's soul 

Knew his Redeemer ; and with hum- 
ble heart 

Bowed down, he said, " And comest 
Thou to me ? 

JSTay, I have need to be of Thee bap- 
tized, 

O Son of Man." But Jesus answering 
said 

In accents meek, " 'Tis well that 
righteousness 

Should be fulfilled;" and stooping 
was baptized. 



The Baptist. 79 

Then loud unto the throng the Bap- 
tist spake ;— 

" Behold the Lamb of God ! behold 
the Lamb 

Who taketh from the world its weight 
of sin ! 

Behold the Lamb who bringeth joy 
to man! " 

And Jesus coming up, lo, all the skies 
Were cloven, and the Holy Spirit 

came 
Down-soaring like a clove ; and the 

pale heavens 
Eang with the awful voice of God, 

"My Son 
Beloved art Thou; in Thee am I well 

pleased." 



V. 
THE CHRIST. 

"He left tlie throng and hath, not 

since appeared. 
None knoweth where He went. For 

when He rose 
From prayer, the dove-like Spirit 

having risen 
And vanished in the highest vault of 

heaven, 
And the load voice of God proclaim- 
ing Him 
The Son beloved being hushed and 

heard no more, 
He left the throng and no man saw 

Him go, 
(SO) 



The Christ. 81 

And none liath seen Him since. 

"The new moon then 
Ilung peaceful in the west beside the 

star 
Of evening; but that moon hath 

waxed and waned, 
And now the second moon is past the 

full. 
While yesterday John at the Jordan 

preached, 
Came priests and Levites from Jerus- 
alem 
Asking 'Art thou the Christ?' and 

he replied, 
c Neither the Christ nor yet Elias I, 
Nor any prophet, but the voice of one 
Crying in the wilderness, ' Make 

straight the way, 



82 The Christ. 

For the Lord cometli to baptize with 

lire! 
Even now, indeed, He liveth in your 

land, 
And you have known Him not.' 

" Thus answered John, 
'Yet oft with straining vision have I 

sought 
The wondrous man whose clear, calm 

eyes did burn 
Into my inmost soul with holy power, 
But I have found Him not.' " 

" 'T would please me well 
To see this strange and holy man of 

whom 
Thou speakest, brother." 

Thus did Andrew say, 
And thus his brother Simon made 

reply: 



The Christ, 83 

The rising moon looked over fields of 
flowers 

That nodded to the passing breeze, 
and gave 

Their sweetest perfumes forth. And 
all the hills 

Robed in rich green and crowned 
with odorous groves 

Slept softly in the silver dewy light, 

Or listened to the singing nightin- 
gales. 

And now came John the son of Zeb- 

edee, 
Who oft with Andrew sought amid 

the crowds 
To find the Holy One they once had 

seen, 



84 The Christ 

To gaze into tlie eyes that held them 

still, 
And yet evaded still their constant 

search — 
Came John bar-Zebedee, who said, 

" Behold 
I go unto the Jordan once again. 
My soul is hungering to see the man 
And hear his voice. I know he will 

return 
And speak to us. Say, will ye go 

along 
With me, my brothers ? " " Yea," 

said Andrew, " I 
"Will seek him with thee to the ends 

of earth." 
"And I," quoth Simon, "when ye 

find the man, 



The Christ. 85 

Will follow after you. But now my 

work 
Presses me to the duty of the hour, 
Which must not be denied." 

And he repaired 
Unto the Sea of Galilee, and they 
Hastened along the Jordan to the 

place 
Where preached the Baptist to the 

multitudes. 

And Jesus from the wilderness, where 
long 

'Mong savage beasts he dwelt, far 
from the haunts 

Of man, and smote his flesh with tire- 
less fasting, 

And sought the Father's ear in end- 
less prayer 



85 • The Christ 

And holy meditation, and overcame 

The Evil Power by vanquishing the 
clay, 

Returned ; and on the morrow stood 
beside 

The Jordan where the Baptist taught. 
And he 

Seeing cried out: " Behold the Lamb 
of God ! 

Behold the One on whom the heav- 
enly dove 

Came from the Father, showing the 
world the Son." 

Now they of Galilee with fluttering 
hearts 

Eejoicing, and with longing souls, be- 
held 



The Christ. 87 

The Holy One ; and following after 

him 
To bathe their spirits in his sacred 

voice 
They meekly said, " Eabbi, where 

dwellest thou?" 
And Jesus answered them in gentle 

words 
" Follow and see. 5 ' And glad they 

went with him 
Unto a place upon the hillside, where 
The wild grape blossoms from the 

clustering vines, 
That gave sweet shadow in the sun 

of noon, 
Sent richest fragrance out upon the 

breeze. 
The murmuring of the Jordan, mov- 
ing swift 



88 The Christ 

Along his pebbly bed, came from 

below, 
And from above, among the vines 

and trees, 
A thousand melodies of singing birds.. 

Here on the turf with moistened ver- 
dure cool — 

The dew-drops lingering still amid 
the shade — 

The Saviour sate him down and also 
they. 

Then first he spake saying, " Where- ' 
fore seek ye me ? " 

And they both answering said, " Thou 
art the Truth, 

In seeking Thee we sought the Life 
and Truth." 



The Christ 89 

Then Jesus answered them with tender 

voice : — . 
"The soul that seeketh me shall never 

w r alk 
In darkness; nor jet shall the daz- 
zling light 
His eyeballs overcome. For though 

the truth 
Is terrible to angels, it shall be 
Through me made mellow to the 

weaker flesh. 
The Father veiled his features in a 

'cloud 
On Sinai, lest the people seeing should 

die. 
But ye behold the Father and the Son 
In equal power, and yet your eye not 

aches. 



90 The Christ. ' 

For then the law of love was incom« 

plete 
Through, human stain. Now Love 

itself is law 
Made perfect by Divinity in man. 
The world has wept for waiting long 

the day 
When the "Word promised should be 

man. And now 
The weeping world knows not the 

"Word it sees. 
But ye who seek shall see and under- 
stand. 
Blessed is he that seeketh for the 

Word, 
For his eyes shall be opened to the 

glory." 



The Christ 91 

Then turning to the sun that o'er the 

hill 
Hung westering on a pillow of white 

cloud 
That grew from the horizon, widening 
And rising up in silver flame, he 

said : — 

" You gaze upon the sun, your eye is 
dazed ; 

And seeing no beauty there you turn 
away. 

But on the moon at night you lean 
your eye 

In rapture and exclaim, 'How beauti- 
ful!' 

Yet in the barren hills and waterless 

Ka vines, you see no beauty but the 
light 



92 The Christ 

Thrown back upon you mildly from 

the sun. 
So through the flesh the glory and the 

light, 
Divine and radiant as in Heaven's 

halls, 
Come lovingly and sweetly to the 

soul." 

And seeing in a tree among the 

"blooms 
A little linnet toiling at his nest, 
And pausing oft amid his toil to sing, 
As if with song to cheer his russet 

mate ; 
Pleased with the work and song the 

Master said : — 



The Christ. 93 

"Behold the linnet how he labors 

here. 
He buildeth well, rejoicing at his toil; 
Nor thinketh he of others, how thej 

build, 
Or worse or better. And he singeth 

well, 
Giving in joy that which he hath to 

give, 
Nor grieves for that he hath not. So 

be it 
With you, my brothers; for the 

Father hath 
Good "use for every one, both great 

and small. 
And he that giveth joyfully giveth 

well. 
Nor look upon the faults of other 

men ; 



94 The Christ 

But on your own. For he who seek- 

eth out 
The faults of others, laboreth in vain, 
And doe tli wrong ; but whoso humbly 

seeks 
His ovm, doth w r ell and shall be thrice 

rejDaid." 

And thus all the long lovely after- 
noon, 

Until the sun beneath the flushing 
west 

Sank, and the radiant purple clouds 
burned out 

With darkening splendor, rapt to 
silence they 

Hung listening on sweet words of 
Jesus, spake 



Hie Christ. 95 

As ne'er man spake before. And 

evening fell 
Ere yet they were aware, and left them 

there 
Sorrowing ; for the Master, going 

forth 
Alone into the wilderness to pray, 
Bade them not follow. 

With unwilling steps 
Returning to the sea of Galilee 
All the long night they travelled, in a 

stream 
Of vapory moonlight bathed, their 

sandaled feet 
Wet with the dew-drops sparkling on 

the green. 
And still upon the words they dwelt, 

and each 



96 The Christ. 

Repeating ever some sweet utterance 

made 
The tedious journey brief and pleasant 

seem. 

Now on the morrow, when the rising 

sun 
Made ruddy with his level rays the 

sea, 
Mending his nets beside the shore, 

they found 
Simon in fretful mood, for that his 

toil 
Through the long night brought forth 

but little fruit. 
But they soon joining in the work, 

told all 
The holy words they heard the Sav- 
iour speak ; 



The Christ. 97 

And listening with enraptured ear, 

lie sate 
Undmindful of his toil, and longed to 

see 
The man whose words sank burning 

in his soul. 

And soon they were aware of Jesus 

near 
Upon the sea-shore, and he said to 

them, 
u Follow me and be fishers of men's 

souls." 
And coming to the shore they followed 

Him. 



VI. 

THE PASSING OF THE BAPTIST. 

"Wrapped in Night's starry mantle, 
on the slope 

Of Jordan where the meadows blos- 
somed, sate 

The JSTazarite, who late among the 
throng 

Proclaimed the Lamb to an unbeliev- 
ing world. 

To heaven's farthest deeps he bent his 
gaze, 

And seemed beyond the smallest stars 
to see 

Rich realms of love and rest and loveli- 
ness 
(98) 



The Passing of the Baptist. 99 

Where sin dare enter not and sorrows 

cease. 

Long in the calm, amid the falling 

dew, 
With ravished eye upturned, he sate, 

and soon, 
Borne from the world upon the wings 

of love, 
He seemed to soar with Angels near 

the Throne. 
Then loud, in tones that rang aclown 

the stream, 
And roused the echoes through the 

rocky dell, 
He joined the Prophet-King of old 

and sang : — 
"The dead can praise Thee not, 

Lord, nor they 



100 The Passing of the Baptist. 

That are gone down into the shadowy 

vale; 
But we who live shall sing in hymns 

Thy praise 
From now forever to the end of time. 

" From when the Sun comes thro' his 

amber gate 
Till on his fiery -curtained couch he 

sleeps 
Thy name is worthy of all praise, 

Lord, 
From now forever to the end of time. 

" Thy mercy lives, nor is Thy word 

forsworn. 
And in the promise shall the Gentile 

hope; 



The Passing of the Baptist. 101 

From pole to pole Thy mighty name 

shall ring 
From now forever to the end of time. 

"For who is like the Holy One ; whose 

hand 
Hath raised the needy up to stand 

with Kings ? 
Before His face the godless horde 

shall fly 
From now forever to the end of time." 

He ceased; but long the silence of the 

place 
Swelled as with sounds of harmony; 

and now 
The nightingale within a bower of 



102 The Passing of the Uaptist. 

Took up the strain, and with, his 
liquid voice 

Trilled rapturous music forth upon 
the night. 

Then foot-steps falling lightly on his 
ear 

Aroused the Prophet from hisrevery, 

And turning he beheld one who out- 
spake 

In breathless haste : — - 

" Fly, Master, for behold ! 

In glittering raiment clad and bearing 
arms 

Soldiers from Herod come in search 
of thee/' — 

"Nay; whoso placeth in the Lord 
his trust 

Feareth not any man. Then where- 
fore fly ?" 



The Passing of the Baptist. 103 

And now in sounding armor came the 

troop 
From Herod's impious son, that Anti- 
pas 
Who with Herodias lived in double 

crime, 
His niece and brother's wife. The 

nightingale 
Broke frightened midway in his 

melody 
And flitted to a distant tree. "We 

come," 
Quoth one, " from good Prince Herod, 

seeking him 
Men call the Baptist. Eabbi, art 

thou he?"— 
" Yea ! whither would ye have me 

go, and why?" — 



104 The Passing of the Baptist. 

" The King desires thy presence, come 

away. 
We join him at Machasrus." — With. 

rude hand 

Laid on the shoulder of the godly 
man 

They bade him tarry not ; and rising 
up 

With, fearless step he followed, hurry- 
ing forth 

All the chill night along the rugged 
way 

From Jordan's shore to Makor's 
gloomy hold. 

And now of all the crowds who came 

to him, 
And drank with open hearts his 

thrilling words. 



The Passing of the Baptist. 105 

But one remained, who clung unto 

the priest, 
And followed him with sobs and 

bitter tears. 
For only yesterday at Salem came 
Disciples chafing from a late dispute 
Concerning Jesus, and to John ex- 
claimed : — 
"Rabbi, that man to whom beyond 

the Jordan 
Baptizing thou borest witness, lo ! he 

now 
Baptizeth and the people flock to 

him." 
But John, uplifting in glad tones his 

yoice : — ■ 
" The bride-groom's friend and not the 

bridegroom I ; 



106 Tlie Passing of the Baptist. 

Even now my soul rejoiceth in his 

word 
That soundeth through the land. His 

star shall grow, 
But mine shall wane and vanish in 

the light, 
That comes to flood the world." Thus 

John ; and they 
Who deemed him until now the 

greater prophet, 
Disheartened, turned and left him. 

Only one 
Eemained, who now in sobs and tears 
Followed the Baptist. Faithful Man- 

aen he, 
That foster-brother of vile Antipas, 
"Who later into Antioch did take 
The saving story of the Son of God. 



The Passing of the Baptist. 107 

And Herod's machinations well he 

knew 
To hurt the Baptist for imagined 

wrongs ; 
And knew the power that bold Hero- 

dias held 
Over the spirit of her cowardly lord, 
And her black malice toward the holy 

man. 

For late the prince came unto Enon's 
fount 

And heard the fiery preacher pro- 
phecy 

The coming of the Kingdom ; and he 
sought 

With feigned humility the way to 
peace : — 



108 Tlie Passing of the Baptist 

"First put away thy brother Philip's 

wife ; 
The law commands it," spake with 

fearless voice 
The man of God. Mute terror struck 

the king, 
Who turning left. And now with fell 

design, 
Fearing his thrilling words among the 

people, 
He brings the Nazarite to black Mach- 

serus. 

Red morning rose o'er Arnon's roar- 
ing flood 

Lighting the dew-drops on the grassy 
plain, 

And waking birds to gladsome melody, 



The Passing of the Baptist. 109 

What time they reached the palace ; 
and the doors 

Of the dark dungeon underneath flew 
ope, 

And grating closed upon God's mes- 
senger. 

Day after day, day after day he sat 

In that damp hold, shut in by mouldy 
walls 

That robbed his eyes of sunlight. He 
who dwelt 

Free as the antlered stag from boy- 
hood's hours 

Amid the mountains, pleased by song 
of bird, 

And the wild gambols of the swift 
gazelle ; 



110 lite Passing of the Baptist. 

Who watched the sun ride 'mong his 
varying clouds, 

And the calm moon with her sea-mir- 
rored face 

Soar through her stars on dew-be- 
sprinkling wings, 

Lay now imprisoned in a blighting 
tomb, 

From every pleasant sight and sound 
confined. 

And thrice the tyrant in his princely 
state 

Seated beside Tlerodias, fair and sin- 
ful, 

Brought forth the prophet to the sump- 
tuous halls 

And asked, " Lo, gayest thou still I 
break the law ? " 



TJie Passing of the Baptist. Ill 

But with, unyielding soul the man of 

God, 
" The law forbids thee keep thy 

brother's wife." 
And the proud woman, with a brazen 

frown, 
Each time cried out in crimson rage, 

"0 King! 
Wherefore this patience ? Hast thou 

not a slave 
Can bear a sword? Go, strike the 

traitor dead." 
But fear restrained the willing hand, 

and still 
Within the dungeon lay God's mes- 
senger. 
Yet the adulterous queen, relenting 

not, 



112 The Passing of the Baptist. 

Daily did urge the murderous deed, 

and lie 
Dreading the people, feared to strike 

the blow. 

Now Herod on a summer day pro- 
claimed 
A feast; and all his nobles at the 

word 
Came to Machaerus; and the tables 

groaned 
"With richest viands, and the mellow 

wine 
Went round; and all the palace rang 

with sound 
Of song and revelry j and when the 

lights 
Illumed the gorgeous halls, and An- 

tipas 



The Passing of the Baptist. 113 

Sat drinking with, tlie merry-making 

throng 
Came Salome, his daughter, beautiful 
With her black eyes, her tresses like 

the night, 
And rounded limbs, as ever maiden 

seemed, 
And danced before the King. A 

nymph she looked 
Born of a goddess in some Grecian 

dell. 
Loud rang the halls with praise, and 

dashing down 
His drained cap upon the marble 

floor 
The king up-rose exclaiming, "Noble 

girl ! 
Ask what thou wilt — ere asked I 

swear it thine." 



114 Tlie Passing of the Baptist. 

And she, more cruel-cold thanbeauti- 

fiil, 
Taught by her wicked dam, said, 

"Give me here 
Upon this platter the Baptizer's head." 
And now the tyrant down the lighted 

hall 
Saw the fierce eyes of bold Herodias, 
And sinking on his couch in guilty 

shame 
Gave trembling to his slaves the 

bloody word. 
Proud rose the queen, and loud her 

cruel laugh 
Greeted with scorn the gory sight. 

" Fling o'er 
The walls the boaster's body! Let 

the dogs 



The Passing of the Bcqrtist. 115 

Feast till they gorge ! Ah, what avails 
thee now 

O preacher, all thy prophesy and 
law?" 

Thus heartless cried the fierce adul- 
teress, 

And glancing at the prince with sneer- 
ing lip 

Took her bad daughter's hand and 
left the hall. 

Mute arid appalled the revellers be- 
held 

The accursed sight ; and rising to go 
forth, 

Lo ! in an instant all the lights were 
gone, 

And the black palace lay in deadly 
gloom. 



VTL 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

The sunset flame that burned o'er 

Lebanon 
Had faded out to ashes, and the moon 
Broke from the forest -bearded hills, 

and rose 
A disembodied spirit in the sky. 
And white the snow on Hermon's 

lofty spurs 
Sparkled against the stars ; while down 

his sides 
The green, soft grasses, moistening in 

the dew, 
Gave welcome to the Saviour's weary 

feet. 
(116) 



The Transfiguration* 117 

And pleased He looked upon the 

peaceful slope; 
For late through Tyre and Sidon, seek- 
ing rest, 
And through the land of the Deca- 

polis 
lie joumej-ed ; hut no hour of rest he 

found ; 
For everywhere the lame, the blind, 

the weak, 
In multitudes came following after 

Him, 
Begging for mercy ; and He made 

them whole. 
Then passing o'er the silver wave at 

night 
He came in secret unto Magadan 
To find a quiet time for prayer and 

sleep. 



118 77ie Transfiguration. 

But lo ! with evil purpose dogging 
him, 

Eager to find him failing in dispute, 

Chief priests and rabbis deep-read in 
the law, 

The smooth-tongued Pharisees with 
tainted souls, 

The haughty unbelieving Sadducees, 

And the first men of Herod's worldly 
crew, 

Each bearing lasting hate of deadly 
sort 

Against the other, each one evermore 

Watching the other with suspicions 
dark, 

Came out against Him now at Maga- 
dan. 

And all their mutual hatred and mis- 
trust 



The Transfiguration, 119 

Forgot, they joined in foul conspiracy 
To hurt the Son of Man. His lowly 

mien, 
His gentle life and kindly deeds, His 

words, 
Caim-spoken, but burning from the 

soul, as man 
Ne'er spoke, were to their chilling, 

earthy souls 
But cause of grief and anger. And 

they came 
Thronging to Him in mock humility, 
And asked a sign whereby to know 

the Christ. 
They who had seen in Him God's 

very hand, 
They who beheld the lame rise up and 

walk, 



120 The Transfiguration. 

The blind go forth in day-light bless- 
ing God, 

The deaf and speechless hear and 
answer back, 

And every demon fly His face in fear, 

Nay, even the dead their cerements 
cast away 

And burst the conquered tomb — these 
witnesses 

Came now and asked a sign. 

And Jesus rose 

With burning ire and sorrow-burdened 
soul, 

And looking on the evil crowd ex- 
claimed ; — 

" O perverse brood ! generation foul ! 

Ye who have heard the gospel with 
the poor I 



The Transfiguration. 121 

Why ask of Me a sign ? ye know the 

heavens, 
"When that they promise rain or 

drouth or heat ; 
Ye know what mean the stars, the 

skies, the winds, 
Yet hearing Me, and having seen 

My deeds, 
Ye ask a sign. Ye shall receive the 

sign 
Of Jonah: After three days from 

the depths 
The Son of Man shall rise." 

And going down 
Unto the sea with woeful countenance 
He took his chosen twelve and left the 
land. 



122 The Transfiguration. 

That night they slept in Philip's 

Tetrarchy, 
Near Bethsaida, that late the servile 

king 
Rebuilding, named for Caesar's fated 

child. 
But with the morning's earliest beam 

they rose, 
And having bathed in Jordan's cool- 
ing stream 
Northward along his banks they held 

their way ; 
Past Merom's wave, where Joshua of 

old 
Routed the warlike Canaanites, and 

broke 
Their power,- and past the tower of 

Lebanon 



The Transfiguration. 123 

That still looked toward Damascus, 

till they came 
Even to the cave where Jordan rose ; 

and now 
At nightfall weary stood at Hermon's 

foot. 

And taking with him three — the Man 
of Bock 

And the two Sons of Thunder — Jesus 
clomb 

High up the mountain side, where the 
sweet air 

Cooled by the snows above, but odor- 
winged, 

[Refreshing came and wooed their 
throbbing brows. 

And Jesus went a little way apart 



124 The Transfiguration. 

And standing with bared head against 

the sky, 
Long time alone, with burning words, 

that flowed 
In deep-toned harmony upon the night 
Where moon and stars stood listening, 

he remained 
Communing with the co-eternal Sire. 

But they with weeping spirits stayed 

behind, 
And standing close together, prayed 

aloud, 
But prayed in doubt and fear. For 

oft of late 
He spake of evil days that soon 

should fall ; 
He spake to them of deep disgrace, of 

death, 



T7ie Transfiguration. 125 

Of suffering and of sorrow for man's 

sake. 
And though of vanquished death and 

rising up 
He also spake, they understood Him 

not. 
And oft with sighs from grave heart- 
questionings, 
Up-welling, with sad whisperings 

mingled, each 
Sought from another what the words 

might mean. 
The words so plain that Jesus spake to 

tli em, 
So woeful to their souls, were dark 

indeed. 

!N"ow wearied with the long day's 
journeying, 



126 The Transfiguration. 

And heavy-eyed, they wrapped their 

abbas round them, 
And on the pleasant greensward 

lying down, 
Though pressed with care, soon slept 

beneath the moon. 

How long they slept they knew not ; 
but their ears 

Were pleased in sleep with sounds of 
holy joy, 

Of hymning voices and of harpings 
sweet 

That in full diapason o'er them 
swelled, 

Flooding the world with holy peace 
and love. 

Then soothing radiance on their eye- 
lids falling 



The Tra?isfiguratio?u 127 

Boused them from slumber. Lo ! on 
every side 

What blessed vision meets their wak- 
ing sight ! 

What rays of heavenly splendor fall 
around ! 

Above them in the air the Christ 



In raiment whiter than Mount Her- 
mon's snows ; 

The light that from His naming fea- 
tures shines 

Is brighter than the sun, but dazzles 
not, 

So pleasantly it falls. Upon His 
right 

The Giver of the Law is seen, who 
sleeps 



128 The Transfiguration. 

By angels buried in a vale of Moab; 
Upon His left, the sacred Seer whom 

God, 
In "burning chariot drawn of fiery 

steeds, 
'Mid whirling tempest, rapt to Para- 

adise. 
And with the living glory over- 
thrown, 
The Sons of Thunder and the Man of 

Eqc'k 
Fell down upon their faces to the 

ground, 
In silent adoration and in fear. 
And while they prostrate bowed amid 

the glory, 
Lo ! the eternal visitants were heard 
In thrilling voices speaking with the 

Christ ; 



The Transfiguration. 129 

Speaking of the departure, of the 
doom, 

The death, disgrace, and glorious vic- 
tory 

To be accomplished at Jerusalem. 

Then Peter in a trance of joy upris- 
ing, 

Looking with mortal eyes upon the 
Light, 

Cried out ; — " 'Tis good for us, O 
Lord, to be 

Here in Thy presence! Let this joy 
remain 1 

Let us live ever in the mountain 
here ; 

And Ave shall raise three tabernacles, 
Lord, 
5 



130 The Transfiguration. 

To Tliee one, unto Moses one, and one 

Unto Elias." Then a cloud of flame 

Golden and mild as morning's waking 
beam, 

Down from the zenith, hovered o'er 
the Christ, 

And lrorn its bosom spake the living 
God, 

In tones that shook the world, pro- 
claiming Him 

The Son beloved pleasing to the Sire. 

Longtime the voice resounded through 

the skies ; 
And they long time in fear upon the 

earth, 
In holy love and fear upon the earth, 
With faces down in silent adoration 



9 

The Transfiguration. 131 

Remained. At length, touched by a 

gentle hand, 
They, raised their eyes, and lo ! the 

meek-browed Christ 
With kindly gaze alone before them 

stood : — 
" Arise, be not afraid." Their trem- 
bling limbs 
AY ere strengthened by the sound of 

His dear voice, 
And fearless they arose. Then Jesus 

said — 
" Tell not the vision till the Son of 

Man, 
Being crucified, is risen from the 

dead." 

And with unhidden joy they followed 
Him, 



132 The Transfiguration. 

While tlie sweet light that now lived 

in their souls 
Aroused them unto prayer and holy 

song; 
And as they journeyed down the 

grassy slope 
The stars of morning faded from the 

sky, 
And waking birds rejoiced in every 

tree. 



VIII. 
THE RESURRECTION. 

"With tearful eyes and sorrow- bur- 
dened soul, 
At morning's earliest beam, the 

Magdalene, 
Whom love had saved from crimson 

sin and shame, 
Hastened with spices to the Saviour's 

tomb. 
The linnet, roused by the sweet breath 

of morn, 
Twittered among the olives, and the 

lark 
Rose from the meadow, fragrant of 

the Spring, 

(133) 



134 The Resurrection. 

And sang against the skies. But 

Mary's heart, 
Filled with the thought of Jesus 

crucified, 
Swelled as if bursting by the force of 

woe, 
And joyed not in the sweetness of the 

hour; 
Nay, rather, the glad bird-songs pained 

her ear, 
And the mild air but stirred to deeper 

grief 
The throbbing of her bosom. But 

her feet 
Were winged with love; and soon 

beside the tomb 
She stood; and lo! the great stone 

from its face 



The Resurrection. 135 

"W as rolled away ; and looking in she 

saw 
The linen cerements folded on the 

floor; 
But nowhere found the Saviour whom 

she sought. 

For when the agony upon the cross 
Was over, and the soul of fallen man 
From death and pain, by pain and 

death redeemed, 
The mourning followers laid the 

Sacred Corse, 
In grave-clothes "bandaged, in the 

lonely tomb, 
And went away in tears. Their eyes 

were still 
Blind to the light that round about 

them shone; 



136 The Resurrection. 

And so with aching hearts that sank 

in doubt, 
And bitter tears, they gave Him to 

the grave. 

But Christ went down among the 
blessed shades 

To raise them up in joy. They hurry- 
ing came, 

And like the bending of high forest 
tops 

In the wild breathing of the hurricane, 

Bowed clown before Him, singing 
hymns of praise. 

The songs in ringing unison arose 

In tones that through the dusky dales, 
and groves 

Tenebrious, swelled like sounding 
floods among 



The Resurrection. 137 

Measureless caverns down steep moan- 
tain-sides. 

The builders of the ancient world, the 
men 

Who wrought for justice 'gainst the 
giant sons 

Of Cain's ignoble city, and the tribes 

Who loved the Father, and whose 
souls the hope 

Of man's redemption in the Son made 
strong, 

Came now with spiritual canticles of 

In voices that for ages had been 



And hailed the conqueror of Death 
and Sin. 



138 The Resurrection. 

First, with wide-floating beard and 

waving locks 
That fell like snow, the father of the 

race, 
With many thousands thronging 

round him came, 
And bowing down before the Victor 

cried : — 
"All hail, Saviour! Hail Thou 

promised Seed 
That hath the serpent crushed ! This 

joyful day 
Shall greater blessings bring upon 

mankind 
Than e'er my evil deed did evils bring. 
Far above praise Thy name, whose 

presence here 
Hath raised these wandering souls to 

speechless joy ! " 



The Resurrection. 189 

And they that followed stooping sang, 
"All hail l v 

Next he who saved the remnant of 

the world 
From watery death, and out of Ararat 
Planted anew the vineyard of the 

Lord, 
. "With tens of thousands following after 

him, 
Came kneeling to the Son, and sang 

aloud : — 
" Hail King of Souls ! Thou Saviour 

of mankind ! 
Long time among these shadows have 

we walked 
Waiting Thy presence; watching for 

the light. 



140 The Resurrection. 

To thrill this darkness into rainbow 

hues. 
O happy earth, from whose fair face 

is cleansed 
The stains of soiling sin by blood di- 
vine! 
Then sing, ye joyful spirits, sing 

aloud, 
And bless tlie Saviour with unceasing 

song!" 
And. through the groves a mighty 

sound of praise 
Swelled in loud thunder from the 

m altitudes. 

Now Abraham, surrounded by the host 
Of Israelites that in the desert died, 
And they that sank in bondage, and 
the men 



The Resurrection, 141 

That bled in battle for the Promised 

Laud 
With Joshua of old — upon his right, 
lie who from Sinai's thunders brought 

the law, 
And on his left the priest whose body 



On Edom's two-fold mountain — bow- 
ing low, 

Came with glad greetings to the Lamb, 
and sang: — 

"O wondrous Sacrifice! O perfect 
Priest 

How through, the ages shall Thy 
sacred name 

Resound, and make each, knee bend 
low in love ! 

But how shall man in his small span 
of life 



142 The Resurrection. 

Repay in love Thy bounteous love 

for man, 
That gave Thyself to death his life to 

.. save? 
O ye, whose life such infinite love 

redeems, 
Sing out in seemly words your 

thanksgiving!" 
And lo ! from out the countless host 

arose 
Such sounds of spiritual jubilee and 

love 
As made the ambient ether swell 

with music. 

Then came the Shepherd-King, and 

with him walked 
The Seer who sat at Rama when the 

Lord 



The Resurrection. 143 

Bade him go down to Bethlehem to 

find 
A ruler for the people. Round them 

surged 
Innumerable multitudes who bowed 
Before the sovereign Son of the Most 

High 
While Israel's royal minstrel sweetly 

sang ;— 
" Long time, O Holy One, with voices 

mute, 
Amid this amber gloom we walked 

in tears, 
Waiting this Sabbath of the Passover. 
Now raise the note of praise to God 

our King I 
O sing to Him, ye shades, with 

loosened ton erne : 



144 The Resurrection. 

Sing out to Him whose mercy hath 
no bounds ! 

Praise God oar King, whose sacrific- 
ing love 

Hath vanquished cruel death, and 
broke the chains 

That held his little ones in voiceless 
gloom." 

And from the gathering throng the 
deep refrain 

Bang out in joyous tones, " Praise 
God, our King 1 " 

And last of all came the bold Kaz- 
arite 

Whose thrilling words along the Jor- 
dan's shore 

Proclaimed the coming of the Son of 
Man. 



The Resurrection. 145 

Around him played the thousand 

innocent babes 
Whom the foul Edomite, in ghastly 

fear, 
Slew with the sword to strike the In- 
fant King. 
And in glad voice he greeted thus 

his Lord :— 
" Hail, Holy Sacrifice ! Hail, Lamb 

of Gocl, 
Who takest from the world its 

weight of sin ! 
Oh, who among the ransomed hosts 

can sing 
In seemly words Thy praise ? Hail, 

Lamb of God!" 

And Jesus, standing 'mid the beaute- 
ous babes, 



146 The Resurrection. 

In joy embraced the Baptist as he 

spake ; 
And lifting up his voice exclaimed: — 

" Ye souls 
No longer sorrowful, behold the day 
When brooding darkness flieth from 

the light, 
And sin shall hold my little ones no 

more ! " 
And as he ceased the infant voices 

sang 
In answering hymns, hosannas to the 

King. 

So Jesus walked among the blessed 

Shades 
Until the sun of the third morn began 
To throw his shafts against the east- 
ern sky, 



Tlte Resurrection. 147 

Where the pale day-star fainted. 

Then He hied 
Unto the tomb where, in its cere- 
ments, lay 
The Sacred Corse ; and myriad angels 

came, 
"Waiting his high command. They 

rolled away 
With thunderbolts, the great stone 

from the grave; 
And they that stood as sentinels to 

guard 
The sepulchre, beheld the wondrous 

sight, 
And struck with blinding terror nigh 

to death, 
In breathless haste fled headlong from 

the place. 



148 TJte Resurrection. 

And tlie Messiah, entering again 
The tenement of clay, did raise it up, 
And turning from the vanquished 

tomb came forth 
True God! true Man! and walked 

upon the earth. 

Then loud the messengers of Heaven 

outsang : — 
" Hosanna to the King ! Hosanna, 

Lord! 
Hosanna, Son of God and Son of Man ! 
Lord of the earth and Ruler of the 

skies ! 
Thrice blessed is he that comet h in 

Thy name ! 

So when the Magdalene came to the 
tomb 



The Resurrection. 149 

She saw the stone rolled from its face 

away 
And nought within save, folded on the 

floor, 
The linen grave-clothes ; and she 

weeping cried, 
"Ah! who hath done this d.eed? 

Ah, who hath come 
And taken hence my Lord, the Holy 

One? " 

And wild with grief she fled away to 

where 
The sad disciples sat, and told the tale 
How that the Lord was taken from 

the tomb. 
Then back she came, while yet the 

day was new, 



150 The Resurrection. 

Seeking the Saviour in the lonesome 

place 
But nowhere found Him. And while 

weeping there, 
With face bowed down upon the 

grassy turf, 
Out of the sepulchre a mellow voice 
Said softly, " Woman, wherefore weep- 

est thou? " 
" Alas ! " she cried, " my Lord is 

taken hence ; 
I know not where they laid Him." 

And behold ! 
As she looked up, two Angels like the 

sun 
In dazzling robes stood in the sepul- 
chre, 



The Resurrection. 151 

Saying, "Lo! Jesus liveth, who was 

dead." 
She understood not then the Angels' 

words ; 
And tearful turned away, and bowed 

again 
In grief among the flowers. But near 

her stood 
One, saying, " Woman, wherefore 

weepest thou? " 
" Alas ! " she sighed, " where hast 

thou laid my Lord? " 
Her face still bowed in grief among 

the flowers. 
Then in a tone of soothing gentle- 
ness 
The risen Saviour spake her name. 

She knew 



152 TJie Resurrection. 

The voice ; and rising up in ecstasy, 

"Eabboni! O, my Master ! " she ex- 
claimed, 

Her wordless sorrow turned to rap- 
turous joy, 

And falling at His sacred feet adored, 



OCCASIONAL POEMS. 



OCCASIONAL POEMS. 



SAVED. 



She sat in her room at midnight 

'Mid the window draperies gay, 
And she saw where the lights of the 
city 

Made shadows along the way ; 
And in through the darkened window 

A shadow fell on the floor 
Where her rustling robes were lying 

Which she wore but an hour be- 
fore. 

For sunken in soul and weary 
Of her false life's hollow tone 

She had left sin's gilded palace, 
And sat in her room alone. 
(155) 



156 Saved. 

And she gazed on the moving shadow, 
Which seemed like a ghost in 
crime, 

And her mind was filled with musings 
And thoughts of a former time. 

Again she ran in the meadows 

Among sweet flowers at play ; 
And she heard the voice of the wood- 
thrush 

As he sang to the dying day ; 
She lived her school-life over 

And was pleased with the blissful 
years; 
But again she saw the destroyer, 

And wept with a flood of tears. 

O, beautiful tears of repentance ! 



Saved. 157 

How they lift the clouds from the 
soul, 
And bathe the sin-wounded bosom 

With balm that maketh.it whole! 
" Dear God ! " she cried through her 
weeping 
"I have wandered far from Thy 
love — 
Oh, take from the terrible tempest 
Thy meek returning dove! " 

She rose in her room at midnight, 

And spurning the rustling gown, 
She donned her simplest raiment 

And fled from the pitiless town. 
Oh! now in her home so peaceful, 

Untroubled by sordid strife, 
She worketh the will of the Father, 

And his saving love is her life. 



BORN. 

There was mirth in the lowly dwell- 
ing, 
Though the walls were poor and 
bare ; 
For the Angel of Love came down 
from above 
And left a new life there. 
And the narrow rooms resounded 

With laughter and with joy; 
The mother smiled on the sweet 
young child, 
And the father blessed his boy. 

But round the home on the hill-side 

Hung heavy gloom that day; 
For the Angel of Love came down 
from above 
(158) 



Born. 159 

And took one life away. 
And the weeping sire was silent, 

His heart-strings rent in twain ; 
And the mother's tears, 'mid doubts 
and fears, 

Fell like the summer rain. 

Yet the world was rich in beauty, 

The world in life was strong ; 
The orchard trees were fall of bees, 

And birds were loud with song ; 
For one was born an angel, 

And one was born a man ; 
And the boundless love still flowed 
from above 

As when the world began. 



O ARAWANE ! 

Arawane! loved Arawanef 
My soul returns to thee; 

Beside thy silvery stream again 
I wander light and free. 

1 seem again as young and gay 
As in those happy hours, 

When, listening to the robin's lay, 
I lingered 'neath. thy bowers; 

When by the side of her whom still 
In sorrowing dreams I see, 

I listened with a rapturous thrill 
To the songs she sang to me ; 

I listened to her tender themes 
In beaming smiles or tears — 

Even now her gentle accent seems 

Deep-ringing in mine ears. 
(160) 



Arawane! 1G1 

O Arawane! sweet Arawane! 

Upon thy flowery bray 
Beside a lonely grave I fain 

Would breathe my soul away! 
For many, many a happy dream 

Is turned to dreary pain ; 
Still dear to me thy silvery stream 

Sweet, purling Arawane ! 



DOWN ALONG THE STREAM. 

Down along the stream we glide, 
Drifting with the dimpled tide, 
O'er the waters sweetly dyed 

With the day's last beam ; 
From the chains of labor freed 
Float we by the scented mead, 
Where the mirrored rush and reed 

Fringe the silver stream. 

As we move along the shore 
Drops are falling from the oar, 
Making circles evermore 

Widening in the wave. 
Oh, our pleasures, may they be 
Like the circles which we see, 
Widening thus to you and me 

Till we pass the grave I 
(162) 



Down along the Stream. 163 

Slowly onward still we go, 

Where the trees their shadows throw, 

Trees above and trees below, 

Doubled in the tide. 
Such a glass our lives shall be, 
Doubling all that's sweet to see, 
All that's good, and fair, and free, 

"While through life we glide. 

And when Eve her bells will ring, 
Only purple clouds she'll bring, 
Time shall have no bitter sting 

For a life like ours ; 
And along our tinted way 
We shall glide with spirits gay, 
'Neath the sweet and softening ray 

Unto happier bowers. 



TIME SOARS ON TIRELESS PIN- 
IONS. 

Time soars on tireless pinions 
And bears the years away ; 

Silent and slow we feel them go 
In beautiful array. 

The Spring with fragrant blossoms, 
"With verdure soft and rare, 

In mirth and song the days prolong, 
And sweetness fills the air. 

Then comes the gorgeous Summer 

With vigor-giving sun, 
"With light and love drawn from 
above 

Bearing the season on. 

Next falls in fall fruition 
(164) 



Time soars on Tireless Pinions. 165 

The year's autumnal prime, 
Crowning with gold and wealth untold 
The labor of the time. 

And last the stainless Winter, 

In robes of virgin white, 
Brings to the breast the needful rest, 

The blessings of the night. 

And what, if cloud or tempest 
For a brief time may come? 

The sky 's more fair, more sweet the 
air 
After the passing gloom. 

For there's no lasting sorrow, 

Despair, or sad decay 
To him that lives where Beauty gives 

The brightness of her day. 



OUT OF THE DARKNESS. 

From the gloom of the slumbering 
city 
At midnight I hurried away, 
For my bosom was burdened with 

pity 

Of woes I had witnessed all day ; 
O, the want and the woe of the city ! 

The vulture of wealth and his 
prey, 
Roused ire in my bosom and pity, 

And swiftly I hurried away. 

And I came to the glen where the 

roses 
Sleep sweet in the moon's dewy 

light, 
Where the verdurous clover reposes, 

(166) 



Out of the Darkness. 167 

And whippoorwill whistles all 
night ; 
Where the river runs under the roses, 
And sweet-brier perfumes delight ; 
And I flung myself down with the 
roses, 
To the moon and the breeze and 
the night. 

And the moon and the night and the 
breezes 

Came soothingly over my soul ; 
And soon all the sorrow that freezes 

The current that flows in life's bowl, 
The sorrow so frigid that freezes, 

Flew out like a blast to the pole, 
And the moon and the stars and the 
breezes 

"Waked wonderful joy in my soul. 



168 Out of the Dai'kness. 

And I thought of life's beauty and 
pleasure, 
The roses that cover the thorn ; 
O, I thought of sweet Love's holy 
treasure 
That smiles the world's glory to 
scorn ; 
Of the sweetness of Love's holy 
treasure 
That cometh on angel-wings borne; 
And with soul full of rapture and 
pleasure, 
I rose and — behold, it was morn. 



TWO VALLEYS. 

I came through the Valley of Sor- 
row — 
No light dug a faint ray of hope, 
And my soul through that Valley of 
Sorrow 
Walked dismally down the slope. 
'Twas night in the Valley of Sorrow, 

No star in th' ethereal cope — 
I had surely despaired of the mor- 
row 
But for that faint vision of hope. 

And the River of Life rushed down- 
ward 
With ominous murmuring sound — ■ 
I could hear the dark river roll on- 
ward 

f!69) 



170 Two Valleys. 

With noises deep down under* 
ground ; 
And ever its waters went downward, 
And the echoes that answered 
around, 
"Were as wild and as weird, rushing 
onward, 
As the noises deep down under- 
ground. 

And my spirit was startled and 
weary, 
And fain from the place I would 

fly; 

And the night was so dismal and 
dreary, 
And the pall was so black in the 
sky, 



Two Valleys. 171 

And the echoing noises so dreary 
Of the mad river hurrying by, 

That my spirit was lonely and weary, 
And fain from the place I would 

fly- 

Still onward I groped toward the 
glimmer 
Alone on my dangerous way ; 
Then methought e'en that faint ray 
grew dimmer, 
And I eagerly longed for the clay ; 
And my eye ever strained to the 
glimmer, 
So loudly my worn soul did pray, 
That the noises were hushed, and the 
glimmer 
Grew broad in the dawning of clay. 



172 Two Valleys. 

Then the radiance, all purple and 
golden, 
Came down from the fair moun- 
tain's slope 
To a beautiful valley enfolden 

In lustre and glory and hope; 
From the dark valley into the golden 
I had passed, and the luminous 
cope 
A beautiful world had unfolclen 
In the fulness of joy and of hope. 



IN GOD WE TRUST. 

O, where shall we look for comfort, 

Sweet Lord where place our trust, 
As we drearily moil in thankless 
toil, 

With our faces down in the dust ? 
These hovels that line the alley 

In tottering, bleak decay, 
Are swarming with lives — O honey- 
less hives ! — 

Of the workers of to-day. 

But yonder stands a mansion, 
With gleam of shining gold, 

With airy halls and pictured walls 
And store of wealth untold. 

And the haughty, scornful tenant 
Ever meets us with a frown ; 
(173) 



174 In God We Trust. 

For unsated still he works bis will 
And grinds our faces down. 

But what have we done, O Saviour ! 

To merit this fatal doom ? 
Is this our pay for the sweating day 

At the anvil, spade, and loom? 
Or look we still for the evil 

That binds us into the dust, 
While the idler drives o'er our wearied 
lives ! 

Ah ! where shall we place our 
trust ? 

Dear Lord, Thy hand is mighty , 

Dear God, Thy will is sure; 
Thou still wilt keep Thy starving 
sheep ; 



In God We Trust. 175 

Thou still wilt save the poor I 
Even now the morn is breaking ; 

Her radiant beams we see ; 
The sweet reward Thou wilt bring, O 
Lord ; 

"We rest our faith in Thee. 



WILT THOU NOT ANSWER ? 

Wilt thou not answer to my constant 
calling 

sweet one, whom my soul's eyes 

long to see, 
Watching from when the early dews 

are falling, 
Until the dawn wakes birds in every 

tree, 
And through the toilsome, weary- 

dragging day, 
While rides the red sun on his fervid 

way ? 

Methinks at times I see thee beckon 
to me, 
Fleeting before me on thy path of 
air ; 
(176) 



Wilt Thou not Answer? 177 

And oft in blissful dreams thy sweet 

eyes woo me ; 
But waking thoughts bring back a 

world of care, 
"Whence thou, with all the ethereal 

perfumes shed 
From thy ambrosial, breezy robes art 

fled. 

Speak to my soul ! her longing never 
ceases, 
But still impatient grows to hear 
thy voice ; 
Speak to my soul ! and like the sum- 
mer breezes 
That come from skies of eve, bid 
her rejoice ; 



178 Wilt TJiou not Answer? 

Speak to my soul! her dearest hopes 

on thee 
Of blessed living rest, sweet Poesy! 

Wilt thou not answer, and my soul is 
calling, 
Ever with burning longings calling 
thee? 

Waiting from when the early dews 
are falling 
Until the song-birds wake in every 
tree ; 

Waiting and listening, with impatient 
ear, 

Thy voice, my heart's loved har- 
mony to hear. 



TO THE BOBOLINK. 

Sweet bird I greet thee ! 0, that 
merry lay 
I've longed these many moons to 
hear again ; 
And since the bluet oped I've come 
each day 
Out to these meads and listened for 
thy strain. 

Who taught thee how in poesy divine 
To utter forth thy soul? What 
boundless joy 
Impels that ringing, thrilling note of 
thine ? 
What pleasures findest thou that 
never cloy ? 

(179) 



180 To the Bobolink. 

What airy spirit in the apple tree 
Among the tinted blooms incites 
thy lay? 
And makes thee, singing, soar in 
tremulous glee, 
As thou wert trilling thy dear heart 
away ? 

Oh, could I sing, sweet bird, oh, could 
I sing 
In words as true, in music rich as 
thine, 
So would I make the listening planet 
ring, 
And force dull Care to cease his 
needless whine. 

Thy toil to thee is happiness supreme, 



To the Bobolink. 181 

Thy sweetest songs amid thy labor 

sound ; 
I listen to the singiug and I seem 
To stand with aQgels upon holy 

ground . 

But day leaves day; and soon thy 
friends, the flowers, 
Will lie in the moist grave ; then 
wilt thou wing 
Thy hurrying flight away to warmer 
bowers, 
And I shall come in vain to hear 
thee sing. 

But wilt thou carry to the distant 
clime, 



182 To the Bobolink. 

To soothe man's soul, thy mission- 
ary strain ? 
Or yield, alas! unto an evil time, 

And sink to vulgar revelry and 
pain ? 

Oh, sing, sing on! that note should 

never die I 
"Within my brain the living sound 

shall dwell ! 
Born to the beautiful of earth and 

sky, 

Still to the rude world of all beauty 
tell. 



THE VISION. 

I know not whether I slept and the 
vision came to me sleeping, 
Or whether my soul while awake 
did wing her aerial flight 
Away to the fields of bliss, where the 
angels have in their keeping 
The heavenly flowers that shine like 
stars in the Yalley of Light. 

I but know that the beautiful things 
I saw in that glorious vision, 
And the wonderful songs I heard 
forever shall dwell in my soul; 
For an Angel of light came down, all 
robed in raiment elysian, 
And beckoning led me away 
(183) 



184 The Vision. 

through, the realms where the 

planets roll. 
And I passed through a gloomy tarn 

that was haunted with noises 

unholy, 
Arid came to a billowless sea all 

silvery, silent, and sad ; 
And down in the purple west like the 

star of eve moved slowly 
A Cross of luminous gold whose 

radiance made me glad. 

Aod I saw in the lurid glare weird be- 
ings glide o'er the ocean, 
All hastening toward the place 
where the Golden Cross de- 
clined ; 

And some with uplifted eyes were 



Hie Vision. 185 

swift as if winged in their mo- 
tion; 
But many went down in the wave 
and left not a ripple behind. 

And eagerly toward the place I ran 
where the Light was burning, 
And over the motionless sea full 
swiftly I sped away ; 
And the tide never bent to my feet 
and my soul never thought of 
returning, 
And soon I was standing among the 
glorious Gardens of Day. 

And mountains and valleys and hills 
all bright in those regions su- 
pernal 



186 The Vision. 

As far as the eye could see stretched 
wondrously green and fair, 
And the happy beings I saw rejoiced 
in joj^s eternal. 

Their radiant brows so smooth 
showing never a line of qare. 

And the sweet melodious songs, and 
the thrilling music resounding 
Adown the odorous vales were ever 
of praise and love ; 
And over the hills I saw a wonderful 
host surrounding 
The Golden Light that hung in the 
amber air above. 

And I saw the dear ones gone, their 
beautiful voices ringing 



The Vision. 187 

In musical tones among that num- 
berless praising throng ! 
And oh, if I could but sing the song 
that I heard them singing ! 
The melody clings to my soul, but 
man cannot utter the song ! 



TO THE WOOD-THRUSH. 

Bird of the fading day, thy liquid 
melody gliding 
Into my heart, awakes the spirit 
of childhood hours ! 
Was it from Angel choirs, down 
roseate vistas sliding, 
Came that sweet song to thee, that 
seemeth the breath of flowers ? 

Hast thou beheld afar in the amber 
welkin yonder 
Form of ethereal beauty harping 
on flaming lyre, 
While through the noiseless air some 
straying tones of wonder 
Fell on thy listening ear and set 
thy soul on fire ? 
(188) 



To The Wood- Thrush. 189 

Here by the bubbling spring on couch 
of blossoming clover 
Leaning, I drink the words of thy 
loud and lulling lay ; 
Kinging the grove repeats the music 
over and over, 
Drunk with the soothing sound, the 
requiem of the day. 

Oh, how my bosom swells with mem- 
ories sweetly wakiDg, 
While to the sunken sun thou tell- 
est thy sad farewell ! 
Then from my soul all clouds of 
passion and sorrow breaking, 
Nought but the blue remains — 
with beauty and peace I dwell. 



190 To The Wood-Thrush. 

Where hast thou been these months ? 

What odorous trees delightful 

Welcomed thy heavenly tongue, 

and tempted so long thy stay? 

Ah ! how the chilling frost, that 

cruel spirit and spiteful, 

Out of thy favorite forest banished 

thee far away. 

Yea ! and again when the red leaves 
answer the breezes in sorrow 
So must thou fly, sweet bird, some 
happier grove to rejoice; 
But I have heard thee sing ! no 
trouble that earth may borrow 
Can from my memory drive the 
melody of thy voice. 



COURAGE. 

I HAD passed through the night's 
gloomy portal 
And stood on the mountain's cold 
brow, 
While the sun, like a radiant immor- 
tal, 
Rose out of the ocean below — 
From the boisterous ocean below, 
Where the currents resistlessly 
flow — 
And the sun, like a glorious immortal, 
Illumed all the world with his 
glow. 

And with wings to the winds of the 
ocean 

(191) 



192 Courage. 

"White ships sped away with the 
gale, 
And they baffled the billows' commo- 
tion, 

And bowed with their burden of 
sail , 

Oh, they bowed as with hearts that 
would quail, 

That would flinch, to the fury and 
fail- 
But they fought through the billows' 
commotion, 

And gallantly sped with the gale. 

And the surges high over them dash- 
ing 
Had scourged the sea-green into 

gray; 



Courage. 1 93 

But the hulls in the merciless lashing 
Kode proudly along on their way; 
Rode along ou their dangerous way, 
And with canvas all reefed for the 
fray, 
Game safe through the merciless lash- 
ing, 
And entered the harboring bay. 

And I, with dark sorrow nigh broken, 

Gazed long on the beautiful sight; 
And I blessed the dear Lord for the 
token, 
And soon my sad spirit grew light; 
Oh, the woes of my bosom grew 

light, 
And the shadows that live in the 
night 
7 



194 Courage. 

Fled away from mv soul with tlie 
token, 
And I stood blessing God in Lis 
might. 



SUMMER RAIN. 

Lo ! the rain cometli, and the grass 
looks up 
Glad in the freshening drops ; a 

richer green 
Glows on the hillsides and the 
meads between, 

Where nod the daisy and the butter- 
cup; 

The trees, where breezes murmured 
all night long, 

Smile to the showers, and utter a 
sweet song. 

And down the valley how the rivulet 
runs ! 
Drinking the fragrant waters on the 
way, 

(195) 



196 Summer Rain. 

Glancing among the sedges as in 

play, 
And purling ever to the answering 

stones 
That rattle in the channel, a sweet 

tune 
Born of soft skies and groves and 

flowery June. 

The husbandman from out his trel- 
lises 
Looks o'er his lands and sees the 

growing grain 
Thrive in the showers, and thank- 
ful for the rain 
That giveth rich increase, sits at his 
ease, 



Summer Rain. 197 

And hears the merry sounds around 

him ringing 
Of water-drops and brooks and sweet 

birds singing. 

0, beautiful and balmy Summer Bain, 
How soothing to the thirsting earth 

thou art ! 
Xiike answered prayer that riseth 

from the heart 
And full of blessings cometh back 

again ; 
So from the troubled sea, uprising 

thou 
Fall'st with rich blessings on the 

world below. 



THE SPIRIT OF THE CHILD. 

The soft and healing hand of May- 
Was laid upon the earth, 

And flowerets fair and grasses gay 
Upsprung in smiling birth ; 

The sweet-brier scented all the lea, 
Green moss was on the brays, 

And birds in every budding tree 
Were loud with joyful lays. 

And where the silvery streamlet runs 

Adown the wooded dell, 
I loitered with my little ones 

As evening twilight fell. 
And while they plucked in laughing 
glee 

The blue and golden flowers, 
A gentle spirit came to me — 

The soul of childhood hours, 
(198) 



The Spirit of the Child. 199 

And looking on that spirit face 

My eyes grew dim with tears ; 
For soon I saw in little space 

Life's toils and cares and fears, 
And all the joy and all the woe 

I felt since boyhood days ; 
Until meth ought a saddened glow 

Came o'er the angel-face. 

I turned in melancholy mood 

With cruel thoughts oppressed — ■ 
But sweet the stream hummed down 
the wood, 

The moon was in the west, 
Loud sang the robin overhead, 

The children ran in play — 
The child- soul lives, I calmly said, 

And dashed the tears away. 



TO THE ROBIN. 

Sweet minstrel of the orchard, now 
thy lay 
Wakes with its ringing tones the 
drowsy morn ; 
The sun up-rising drives tlie shades 
away 
And drinks thy voice upon the 
west- wind borne. 

Glad in the morning dews thy fervid 
breast 
Thou bathes t, rejoicing still in gur- 
gling song; 

And when the clay is dying in the 
west 
(200) 



To the Robin. 201 

Thy sad farewell is heard the lawns 
along. 

And from the shadows of the bloom- 
ing trees 
In varying mood all day thou 
sway est my soul ; 
Now rapturous trills, and now calm 
cadences, 
Thou hast a tone each passion to 
control. 

If sorrow, born of memory, over- 
power 
My mind, I hear thy music and re- 
joice ; 
If vain ambition fret, or anger sour, 
Then to my soul how soothing is 
thy voice! 



202 To the Robin. 

The world were sad without thee! O 
my frieDd, 
Sing still your love so sweet, your 
joy so calm ; 
To every care thy warbling gives an 
end, 
To every wound of woe 'tis healing 
balm. 



LORD, LEAD US ON. 

Lord, lead us on ! our weary hearts 
are failing, 
Toilsome the way and dreary is the 
night, 
O'er the dark waste the lonesome 
winds are wailing ; 
Show to our eyes the beauty of Thy 
Light. 
Keep Thou our steps until the night 

is gone, 
"Without Thy aid we fall ; Lord, lead 
us on ! 
Lord, lead us on [ Lord, lead us on ! 
Through the dark way of earth 

Lord, lead us on ! 

Lord, lead us on! though weak and 
pressed with sorrow, 

(203) 



204 Lord, Lead us on. 

We shall not faint if but we feel 
Thy arm; 
Through the bleak night unto a smil- 
ing morrow 
Keep Thou our souls from danger 
and from harm. 
Lord, through the gloom we seek the 

glorious dawn ; 
Oh, leave us not alone ! Lord, lead us 
on ! 
Lord, lead us on! Lord, lead us on! 
O'er the dark paths of earth 

Lord, lead us on I 



THE NEW YEAR. 

The New Year blithely comes to- 
night 
In golden gown and mantle white — 
Sing, happy world, from pole to 
pole! 
For lo ! he bringeth love and light 
And joy to many a weary soul. 

I walk abroad beneath the sky 
And hear his footfalls drawing nigh ; 
With stately tread they sound 
afar; 
The Old departs with heaving sigh 
And moaning heard by moon and 
star. 

Nought recks the youth of sigh or 
moan, 

(205) 



208 The New Year. 

He comes to claim the vacant throne, 
And snatch the world from grief 
and gloom, 
His loins enrobed with purple zone, 
His brows with wreaths of apple- 
bloom. 

With fragrance of sweet promises 
Like incense floating on the breeze, 

He stalks across the crusted snow ; 
And from his face with trembling 
knees 
The Old Year hastens, bowed in 
woe. 

Ah ! once he, too, in happy state 
And triumph through the orient gate 
Came bearing joy and love and 
light; 



The New' Year. 207 

Now crushed beneath a weary weight 
Of broken hopes he dies to-night. 

Yet dear he is to me, although 
So much of failure and of woe 

Were mingled with the joys he 
brought ; 
He ruled as best be knew, I trow — 

I leave him with a loving thought. 

And thou, young Prince, whose glit- 
tering gown 
Is rustling on the breezy down, 

We rest our dearest hopes in thee; 
0, wear in perfect faith thy crown I 

O, be the king thou seem'st to be! 

So when the blooms from off thy 
brow 



208 The New Year. 

Shall fall, and, like this old man, 
thou 
Goest forth into the realms of 
gloom, 
A loving world will prayerful bow 
And watch and weep beside thy 
tomb. 



GETHSEMANE. 

Ye tired world- workers, rise ! and for 

a space 
Watch with the Master in this lonely 

place, 
This bleak and sorrowful Geth- 

semane ; 
For lo! the darkness deepens, and the 

light 
Of every star is banished from the 

night, 
And through the trees the wind 

moans wearily. 

Ah ! louder than the wind, a mournful 

mean, 
A sound of woe and want, an awful 

groan 

(209) 



210 Gethsemane. 

Up-welleth from the world so 
drearily ! 
Oh, hush, poor world, that sound of 

wild despair ! 
The night is dark indeed, but sweetly 
prayer 
Wakes from the heart of sad Geth- 
semane. 

And sleep not now, though weary 

nigh to death ; 
For see the Master how He suffereth! 
Yet near at hand His hour of 

strength must be, 
And see ye not the Angels with the 

cup? 
Oh, sleep not — lift your fainting 

spirits up ! 
See, love and hope rise from Geth- 



MAY SONG. 

Once more from sleep awaking 

Sweet Nature smiles serene, 
And decks each kill and valley 

In robes of richest green. 
Along the singing streamlet 

The modest violet blows ; 
But nevermore my lost one 

Shall linger where it grows. 

Adown the blooming meadow 

I come as oft before ; 
But by my side my loved one 

Comes never — never more. 
Yet deep within my bosom 

Her sweet voice speaks to me ,* 
And in each smile of Nature 

Her loving face I see. 

(211) 



TO A THRUSH. 

O, sweet-tongued warbler, how thy 
early lay 
Thrills on my heart, with mournful 
watching weary. 

As o'er the fields I hasten ere the 
day 
Lights with red rays the lonely 
eagle's eirie; 

While the black shade that lingers in 
the wood 

Trembles and pales before the crim- 
son flood. 

With feet bedewed in meadow-grasses 
sweet 
Where budding flowers and balmy 
herbs are breathing 
(212) 



To a Thrush. 213 

I pause and hear thee with rich music 

greet 
The purple clouds that round the 

dawn are wreathing ; 
And while thy song is rising on the 

morn, 
I ask my soul whereof such joy is 

born? 

Say canst thou hear along the silver 
dawm 
The circling stars their dewy ma- 
tins singing ? 

Or from thy vision is the veil with- 
drawn 
That hides ihe Angels, burning- 
censers swinging ? 

That so thou singest with such heav- 
enly fire 



214 To a Thrush. 

As fills the soul with, sacred, pure 
desire. 

Thy voice knows nouglit of sorrow ; 
thy dear mate 
Hears with rapt ear, her callow nest- 
lings keeping ; 

Ah! song of mine shall soothe nor 
soon nor late 
My soul's lost love that in the 
grave lies sleeping. 

Entranced I hear thee ; but thy glad 
refrain 

Thrills my torn heart with sweeter, 
sharper pain. 



THE WEEPING-WILLOW TREE. 

The place I loved so dearly is sweet 
to me no more, 

The river in the valley and the willow 
on its shore ; 

The spot is lovely still, but the heart, 
so true to me, 

Sleeps in the grave 'neath the weep- 
ing-willow tree. 

Here oft we walked together when 
the evening air was still, 

And listened in the meadows to hear 
the whippoorwili ; 

But now I come alone and the sounds 
are sad to me, 

Sad, for my love lies beneath, the wil- 
low tree. 

(215) 



216 The Weeping- Willow Tree. 

At morning when the robin sang wel- 
come to the dawn 

I loitered with my darling along the 
dewy lawn ; 

Oh, now I go alone, and the bird still 
sings to me, 

Sings of my love 'neath the weeping- 
willow tree. 

Oh, sometimes when the twilight is 

falling cool and gray, 
I hear my lost one singing, singing 

sweetly far away ; 
But soon the noisy world steals the 

sweet sounds from me, 
And leaves me to grieve 'neath the 

weeping- willow tree. 



WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN. 

When the sun goes down and the 
cows are coming home, 
And the robin whistles in the tree, 
In the rosy light to the meadow-lands 
I come, 
And the thronging thoughts are 
sweet to me. 
Oh, my youth is fled, and my weary 
step is slow, 
And my locks are silver, once so 
brown, 
But I live once more in the pleasant 
long ago, 
In the meadow when the sun goes 
down. 

(217) 



218 When the Sim goes Dowru 

O, the brook runs by as it ran in days 
of old, 
"When I plucked sweet flowers on 
its shore, 
And the flowers still smile in their 
purple hues and gold ; 
But the friends I loved are here no 
more. 
Oh, mj j^outh is fled, and mj weary 
step is slow, 
And my locks are silver, once so 
brown ; 
But I walk once more with the friends 
of long ago, 
In the meadow when the sun goes 
down. 



SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP. 

Sleep, baby, sleep ! the sighing winds 
are dreary, 
Father is far upon the rolling sea ; 
Sleep, baby, sleep ! tho' lonesome, 
now, and weary, 
Mother will sing in merry voice to 
thee ; 
Father's frail bark is tossed upon the 

deep, 
Far from his darling one ; sleep, baby, 
sleep ! 
Sleep, baby, sleep ! Sleep, baby, 
sleep ! 
Mother will keep thee safe ; 

Sleep, baby, sleep ! 
(219) 



220 Sleep, Baby, 

Sleep, baby, sleep ! what knowest 
tliou of sorrow ? 
Wby should a tear-drop dim thy 
radiant eye ? 
Soon, ah, too soon with manhood 
comes the morrow 
With its gray mist to mar thy beau- 
teous sky ! 
While in her breast thy mother still 

can keep 
Thee from all dangers safe, sleep, 
baby, sleep ! 
Sleep, baby, sleep! Sleep, baby, 
sleep ! 
Mother will keep thee safe, 

Sleep, baby, sleep! 

Sleep, baby, sleep ! tho' dashed upon 
the billow, 



Sleep, Baby, Sleep. 221 

Father's frail bark is struggling to 
the shore, 
Mother shall calmly smooth thy rest- 
less pillow ; 
Thou in sweet dreams shalt smile 
and weep no more ; 
While wooed by dreams, oh I let thy 

mother weep, 
Sorrow must have its will, sleep, baby, 
sleep ! 
Sleep, baby, sleep [ Sleep, baby, 
sleep ! 
Sorrow must have its will, 

Sleep, baby, sleep. 



AMBROSE, THE HERMIT. 

Ambrose tlie hermit, at his midday 

meal 
Of simple herbs and water from the 

brook, 
Sat in the twilight of his mountain 

cave 
A summer day. The streamlet rush- 
ing down 
The rocky bed, in foamy whiteness, 

sang 
Its melody of restlessness and change; 
And on a spray before the cave a 

thrush 
Warbled in peaceful joy. The place 

was sweet 
With all the sounds and odors of the 

wood. 
(222) 



Ambrose the Hermit. 223 

Here, moist beneatli the shade, brown 

leaves were strewn, 
And there, where thro' the glade the 

sunlight fell, 
Blossomed blue flowers and golden, 

and the bees 
Hummed in their bosoms, toiling all 

the day. 

From early manhood here the her- 
mit dwelt, 

In prayer and meditation ; for he 
saw, 

Grieving, the wrongs and sufferings 
of the world ; ■ 

The strife and the deceit that racked 
men's hearts, 

And drove them wandering from the 
face of God : 



224 Ambrose the Hermit. 

The misery, the poverty, the crime, 
That hurried others to despair, and 

forced 
Them from the way of truth. " Alas," 

he cried, 
" If erring man would only pause and 

hear 
The angelic voice of justice, how the 

world 
Would ring from end to end with 

holy joy!" 

But from young manhood no one came 
to him ; 

And though he often left his moun- 
tain cave 

And walked among the fields and 
thro' the town 



Ambrose the Hermit. 225 

Calling on men to love as "brothers 
should, 

The poor in their wild struggle, heard 
him not, 

While wealthy idlers laughed his 
words to scorn 

With ribald jest. So want and hun- 
ger still 

Oppressed the one, and one in gilded 
halls 

Drank the red wine and slept in beds 
of down. 

So Ambrose sat at mid-day in his 

cave, 
And heard the streamlet rushing, and 

the bird 
Singing among the branches ; and his 

mind 
15 



226 Ambrose the Hermit. 

Dwelt on the wrongs and sufferings 

of the poor, 
Till tears came to his eyes; and with 

sad voice 
He prayed to Heaven for power to 

ease their woe. 
And whilst he prayed came to the 

cave a boy, 
Beautiful with blue eyes, and yellow 

hair, 
And cheeks as pink as roses ; and he 

called, 
"Father, I pray thy aid! a moment 

since 
• A noble huntsman from the mountain 

fell; 
His steel-gray steed is mangled unto 

death, 



Ambrose the Hermit. 227 

And he, unconscious, lieth on the 

sward." 
The pious hermit rose and with the 

Hastened to where the injured hunts- 
man lay. 

For proud Rinaldo in the morn went 
forth 

With steed in silver trappings gaily 
dight, 

To chase the deer along the mountain 
side. 

And as he rode across his broad do- 
mains 

With all his fawning followers, the 
serfs 

Who labored in his fields looked after 
him 



228 Ambrose the Hermit. 

And cursed him for his cruelty and 



For little recked Rinaldo of the poor. 

His days he spent in sports and selfish, 
ease, 

His nights in wassail and unholy 
love; 

The poor he deemed but soulless crea- 
tures made 

To labor for his gain; so now they 
raised 

Their eyes and cursed him as he hur- 
ried by. 

The blaring horns and deep-mouthed 

hounds awaked 
The echoes in the mountain ; and the 

deer 



Ambrose the Hermit. 229 

Bounded with nimble stride o'er fell 

and brake. 
Far in the lead Einaldo rode, his 

steed 
Flying along the rugged path, till 

soon 
The sounds of hound and horn died 

on his ear. 
Then turned the stag, and darting 

down the slope 
Was lost among the trees ; and the 

brave horse 
Following, missed his footing and 

was hurled 
Down the steep mountain side to 

mangled death. 

So the sweet boy came to the hermit's 
cave 



230 Ambrose the Hermit 

Asking for aid ; and with tlie holy 

man 
Bore the hurt huntsman to the lowly 

place, 
And dressed his wounds and nursed 

him tenderly 
Day after clay. But when with wak- 
ing strength 
Came consciousness, the boy was seen 

no more. 
Still Ambrose tended all Rinaldo's 

wants, 
And went upon his errands, and with 

herbs, 
Whose healing virtues he had learned 

from use, 
Wooed the weak body back to ruddy 

health, 



Ambrose the Hermit. 231 

One morn while near the cave Ei= 

naldo slept 
Dreaming of home, the old man stood 

apart, 
And sang with voice that echoed 

down the hills 
Like organ tones in a cathedral 

aisle : — 

" How long, O Lord, how long shall 

strife and greed 
Oppress Thy sons, and leave them in 

their need 
Bowed under weariness, weak slaves 

of might ? 
Too long, O Lord, too long hath sav- 
ing Love 
Denied his warming radiance from 

above ! 



232 Ambrose the Hermit. 

No longer, Lord, deny the living 
light ! 

li O speed the welcome signal through 

the skies ! 
Out of the waking east let the sun 

rise 
Upon a land to Truth and Love 

new-born ! 
O haste the golden dawn too long 

delayed, 
Show forth Thy face, dear God, and 

every shade 
Of wrong shall fly, as darkness flies 

the morn." 

And as he sang he seemed at his right 
hand 



Ambrose the Hermit. 233 

To feel the presence of the beauteous 

But saw him not. Rinaldo from his 

dream 
"Waked, and with rapt ear, listened to 

the song 
In holy awe. His careless, cruel life ; 
His haughty bearing to the suffering 

serfs 
That labored in his fields'; the wasted 

wealth 
They made in want and he in riot 

lavished ; 
His harsh demands and slighting of 

their woes 
"Who looked to him through tearful 

eyes for pity, 
Crowded upon his mind and bowed 

his soul 



234 Ambrose the Hermit. 

With sorrow and repentance. Rising 
up, 

He went and kneeled before the rev- 
erend man, 

And said, with faltering voice and 
swelling heart, 

" Father, thy blessing and thy prayers 
I crave." 

While Ambrose spake the blessing 
and the prayer, 

With upturned eyes, a golden lustre 
shone 

As out of Heave a round his counte- 
nance. 

Rinaldo rose in silence, and with head 

Bowed on his bosom, left the lowly 
place. 



Ambrose the Hermit. 235 

He counted to the poor his ill- got 

wealth ; 
His nights and days he gave unto the 

Lord ; 
And through the country travelled, 

preaching love. 
Thousands came eagerly to hear his 

words ; 
And soon the land smiled in new 

laws, and strife 
Was sweetened in the holy light of 

love. 

Then Ambrose knew in the fair blue- 
eyed boy 

A guardian Angel, and he blessed the 
Lord. 



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